Firefighter who allegedly dealt drugs done in by lying

In a real-life example of the old adage that you might get in trouble for doing something bad but you’ll likely get in more trouble for lying about it, an arbitrator recently upheld the termination of a firefighter who allegedly dealt drugs but who was fired for lying during the city’s investigation.

Overdose leads to investigation

A New Britain, Connecticut, firefighter died of an apparent accidental drug overdose at his home. Police didn’t have enough evidence to charge anyone with selling the firefighter the drugs, but the city of New Britain launched an investigation to determine whether other firefighters may have sold the deceased firefighter the drugs that killed him.

The investigation concluded a number of firefighters had used drugs and resulted in suspensions, demotions, and one termination.

Fired firefighter challenges his termination

The terminated firefighter denied selling drugs to the deceased firefighter. The city concluded he lied in certain statements made during its investigation and fired him because of his apparent untruthfulness, not because he allegedly sold drugs to the deceased firefighter.