On Jan. 17, 2001, police responded to a domestic dispute involving a man in camouflage gear waving a semiautomatic pistol. As two officers approached the Caln Township residence, a shot was fired "in such a manner as to place individuals in danger," court records said.
Less than four years later, the person who shot the gun, Kevin Johnson, was hired as an assistant fire chief in Coatesville.
His hiring is an example of Coatesville's weakness in screening firefighting personnel, said Richard G. Poulson, the attorney for the city's 13 paid part-time firefighters and four full-time firefighters.
The latest instance, he said, involved Robert F. Tracey Jr. Tracey - recently recommended for a job by Johnson, now the chief - was charged Monday with setting two of the 70 fires that have left dozens of residents homeless and caused millions of dollars in damage over the last 13 months in the Coatesville area.
Poulson also accused Johnson of severely underreporting the number of fire calls in the city.
Johnson denied that, saying his list excluded fires that did not involve a structure or were put out quickly. He also said he would not discuss his decision to hire Tracey.
He wasnt reporting outdoor fires, vehicle fires or any fire that was extinguished "quickly". How quick is "quickly"? What is wrong with this picture?
Kristin Geiger, a city spokeswoman, said all candidates for police and fire positions are subject to a psychological evaluation, drug and alcohol testing, and a check of criminal-history and driving records.
She said that "blemishes" on candidates' records do not make them unemployable. "It depends on the type of conviction and the position they're applying for," Geiger said.
Tracey was hired on Feb. 9. Court records show he had a March 2007 conviction for passing bad checks, citations for driving an unregistered vehicle and disregarding a traffic-control device, and two citations for operating a vehicle without a valid inspection.
What do you think? Should the "blemishes" on Tracey's record have been enough to disqualify him from the job of firefighter?
Tracey is the seventh arson suspect in custody; investigators said they have linked 24 fires to the seven...
Until mid-February, Coatesville had reported 15 arson fires in 2008. In response to repeated requests from The Inquirer for 2008 data, the city changed that number to 26. Geiger attributed the error to different reporting mechanisms for county, city and state agencies.
Poulson said the National Fire Incident Reporting System standards should be the guide.
When Johnson became chief in 2006, he assumed control of incident reporting, Poulson said. The union continued to keep its own records, Poulson said, and did not learn of discrepancies until early in 2008, when the union applied for a federal grant.
Poulson said the city typically has about 700 fire calls a year. Johnson reported 295 in 2007, while union records show 733. When the union discovered the difference, it complained to city officials, but nothing was done, Poulson said.
What problem's do you see with Johnson's underreporting? Why was the Union keeping it's own records? Poulson said the National Fire Incident Reporting System standards should be the guide. Do you agree or disagree?
"Fire-suppression services are in complete disarray," Poulson said of Coatesville, adding, "It's like the perfect storm for an arsonist."
What makes this the "perfect storm" for an arsonist?
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We will be discussing the article and the questions in class next week!
