Firefighters Hot Over Decision to Have Police Chief Oversee Department

EVANSTON, IL - Members of the Evanston Firefighters Local 742 union expressed concern over City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz’ decision to have Police Chief Richard Eddington supervise the city’s fire department in the absence of a full-time Fire Chief.

Bobkiewicz made the decision in the summer to have Eddington step into the fire department supervisor role after Fire Chief Greg Klaiber left the department for a position with Northwestern University on Sept. 14.

But at least some firefighters were hoping Deputy Chief Brian Scott would be put in that position, the Evanston Review reports.

The decision to go with someone outside the fire department instead of Scott or another fire official “has left us a little bit uncertain and a little bit anxious what's going to happen over the short-term," said Matt Smith, president of the union.

Smith also said the decision to provide the added responsibility to the police chief does not fall in line with previous practices in which fire and police personnel would run their own departments during the time without a permanent chief.

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