An assistant fire chief in New Haven who has found himself at the center of a department investigation has been placed on paid administrative leave.
Rev. Eldren Morrison, president of the fire commission, said the commission is looking into "HR complaints that have been submitted against Chief [Patrick] Egan."
Morrison said Egan has also been the subject of criticism surrounding his handling of crews during the fire at Delaney's Taproom last month, and cited allegations of medical privacy violations.
“I have seen evidence of a HIPAA violation that Chief Egan may have been involved in," Morrison said. "Certainly, we want to have time to look at all the documentation, coming from the state board or whoever, because this is very serious.”
The NAACP in New Haven has been very vocal voicing its concerns regarding Egan, specifically in the handling of the Aaron Brantley case.
Brantley was sentenced for bribing two fellow firefighters to substantiate discrimination claims he made in 2012.
“There were things that were mishandled, things that were improperly done, and there was an investigation, but it was in house, and we want it, an outside investigation,” said Doris Dumas, president of the Greater New Haven NAACP.
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NBC Connecticut reached out to Chief Egan about the allegations, but he did not get back to us. Fire Chief Allyn Wright and New Haven Mayor Toni Harp had no comment.
“It's a personnel matter, and that those things are things we handle in executive session,” said Harp.
The fire commission will take up the matter at its next meeting on Sept. 30.
