A judge has decided that the Bridgeport fire department did not create a hostile environment for Hispanic members of the department.
Former fire inspectors Ronald Morales and Ismael Hernandez filed a discrimination suit claiming that fire department leaders, individually and collectively, created a hostile environment.
The mayor’s office issued a news release on Friday saying that city officials established that Morales and Hernandez were terminated for valid, performance related reasons wholly unconnected to their Hispanic ancestry.
Morales was terminated, along with four other fire inspectors after an investigation into the GPS monitoring of inspectors’ vehicles revealed that Morales had numerous unaccounted-for work hours and made many misrepresentations in his daily activity reports, according to a release from the mayor’s office.
Hernandez, city officials said, was terminated after multiple instances of insubordination.
“We are gratified by the judge’s ruling in this case,” Fire Chief Brian Rooney said. “It is my policy and practice at all times to treat everyone in a fair and just manner, regardless of their sex, age, race or ethnic background. This ruling affirms and validates the Bridgeport Fire Department’s disciplinary procedures, and the methods used to investigate allegations of improper treatment.”
