Under Fire

By Amanda Dickman in News on Mar 30, 2007 6:35PM

We do more than just report on negative cop news around here. Really, we do. So! Today we bring you (drumroll, please) news about some controversy rumbling over in the Chicago Fire Department.

An assistant deputy chief paramedic, Donald Walsh, is accused of asking the race of a paramedic requesting time off to care for a sick child.

The paramedic asked a supervisor for the time off, the supervisor then went to Walsh, who allegedly asked if the paramedic was black or white. When told that the medic was black, Walsh apparently stated that the leave would only be granted after a replacement was found.

Walsh is adamantly denying the accusations and showed up for work this morning. He was sent home on paid leave.

Now, how this "he said, she said" case plays out remains to be seen. Obviously, if the race question was indeed asked, that is completely inappropriate on the part of Walsh. What we can't figure out is, how would the answer to that ridiculous question have changed the way the leave was handled?

Image via Jeff Cagle.