Guest blog courtesy of Dolan Law Offices, Chicago, IL.

As Chicago civil rights attorneys and citizens, we’ve been closely following the allegations of corruption and discrimination that have plagued the Chicago Police and Fire Departments for years. Recently, similar allegations have been made against the Houston Fire Department.

Veteran firefighters are concerned about the culture of sexism and racism that currently exists in the Houston Fire Department. ABC News reports that victims have dealt not only with harassment and discrimination, but also with life threatening tampering. Veteran firefighters describe being made to go into unsafe building fires in violation of department protocol and having other firefighters sabotage their safety equipment so that it was impossible to get oxygen during a fire.

The firefighters also report a culture of harassment and discrimination among the superiors in the Houston Fire Department. They claim that they often had to make their reports to the very people who were the harassers and discriminators
Now, the Houston city government has gotten involved. Just last week the Houston City Council hired two law firms to investigate the culture of harassment and discrimination within the Houston Fire Department. The law firms chosen to conduct the investigation reportedly have close ties with the Mayor and City Attorney. Some City Council members are concerned that this could color the investigation and result in a report that is favorable to the city and not truly indicative of what is going on within the Houston Fire Department.

While an investigation into these serious and troubling civil rights violations is certainly warranted, it will only be beneficial to the individual firefighters and to the citizens of Houston if it is truly accurate and if, as a result, any systemic attitude that accepts sexual harassment, racial discrimination and endangering the life of others is eradicated.

Chicago, like Houston, has seen its share of employment discrimination in its city departments. The Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Fire Department have both been sued for employment discrimination and the courts have found for the plaintiffs. Suits against the police department date back decades. For example, in the 1970s, African American officers were successful in their discrimination claims against the Department. In the 1980s the Department was forced to pay millions of dollars in back wages for hiring practices that discriminated against women and racial minorities. Just a few years ago, a Muslim cop sued the Department on grounds of religious discrimination.

The Chicago Fire Department, like the Chicago Police Department, has also seen its share of racial discrimination. In 2004, racial slurs and death threats against black firefighters were made on the Department’s radios. Allegations and federal lawsuits have also been abundant regarding discrimination in hiring practices and entrance exams.

The Chicago civil rights lawyers of Dolan Law Offices represent plaintiffs who have been the victims of civil rights violations. We fight for just compensation and to protect the civil rights of the people of Illinois. We strongly support the efforts of the brave Houston firefighters who are working hard for change.

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