?The city of Salisbury has fired another member of its fire department in what officials call an ongoing investigation into sexual misconduct allegations — the second such investigation to result in firings at the department in two years.
Jeremi Carter is the third firefighter terminated by the city this week. Earlier, Tim Grisham and Chet Hedrick were fired.
Carter was demoted and suspended on Wednesday along with former captain Shawn McBride. In a news release issued late today, the city said Carter was fired for “additional information discovered during the ongoing investigation.”
A letter given to Carter on Wednesday and signed by Fire Chief Bob Parnell said he was being demoted and suspended for receiving and failing to report the sharing of an “inappropriate photo”?at work and failing to report activity that could have resulted in a sexual harassment claim against the department.
A termination letter dated today added misconduct and insubordination, saying Carter didn’t tell his superiors about the photograph during the investigation.
Grisham, was fired for sexual misconduct at work and sharing an inappropriate photo with other staff members; sexual harassment; and lying to Parnell when asked about the relationship.
Hedrick was fired today for sexual misconduct — receiving inappropriate phots and sharing them with other staff members; not reporting potential sexual harassment within the department; and lying about not knowing the identity of the person in the photos.
McBride was disciplined for violating sexual harassment reporting procedures.
The city said Tuesday it was investigating allegations of sexual misconduct within the Fire Department for the second time in two years. In 2011, three fire department employees were fired and one was suspended in connection to a sex scandal.
Hedrick was the employee suspended after the 2011 investigation.
In the news release issued today, the city said the investigation “is still ongoing and not finalized.”
Mayor Paul Woodson told the Post earlier today that he has confidence in Parnell, the fire chief, and that the alleged misconduct will not be tolerated.
Read more in Friday’s Salisbury Post.