Pubdate: Tue, 12 Feb 2002
Source: Tennessean, The (TN)
Copyright: 2002 The Tennessean
Contact:  http://www.tennessean.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/447
Author: Sheila Burke, Staff Writer

PIPE, POWDER CLEARED FROM FIREMAN'S LOCKER

A Nashville Fire Department supervisor yesterday was accused of removing "a 
pipe and a white powdery substance" from a locker of a fellow firefighter 
who had just died after going into cardiac arrest, department officials said.

Fire District Chief Don Ridley could be suspended without pay, demoted or 
terminated if found guilty of conduct unbecoming a Metro employee, 
according to a charge letter written by Nashville Fire Chief Stephen Halford.

Ridley also is accused of behavior that reflects discredit upon himself and 
the department.

Ridley has been on paid administrative leave since Jan. 14, three days 
after Richard Majors died after becoming ill while working at a fire hall 
on Centennial Boulevard, Assistant Fire Chief Kim Lawson said.

Attempts to reach Ridley last night were unsuccessful.

Majors, 44, complained of coughing and respiratory distress, fire officials 
said. He went into cardiac arrest and died at Metro General Hospital, 
Lawson said.

An autopsy was ordered to determine the exact cause of death and is 
expected soon, Lawson said. Police said Ridley told investigators he 
discarded a travel bag with a pipe to spare his comrade's family "any 
embarrassment."

Fire officials said Ridley found a pipe and powder. It's unclear how much 
powder was found.

The officials called police after learning that Ridley, who had been a 
captain in charge of Majors' crew until he was promoted in November, had 
found a pipe and a powder while going through Majors' personal effects.

Vice officers interviewed Ridley on Jan. 15 at Fire Department 
headquarters, police spokesman Don Aaron said.

"During the interview, Mr. Ridley admitted that he discarded Majors' travel 
bag, which contained a drug pipe. The reason for the disposal, according to 
him, was to not cause embarrassment to the Majors family."

The Police Department consulted with the district attorney general's 
office, and it was decided that no criminal law was violated, Aaron said.

Ridley, who was off duty at the time of Majors' death, was contacted by 
personnel and went to the station to comfort his former crew.

Ridley and others at the station gathered Majors' belongings to give to his 
family. Fire officials said they learned the following day that Ridley came 
across the pipe with the white powder and threw it away.

The Fire Department will hold a hearing next Wednesday to determine whether 
disciplinary action is warranted.

In his charge letter, Halford accuses Ridley of using poor judgment.

"While it is recognized that your actions were to spare the family 
embarrassment when you turned over the personal effects, you used extremely 
poor judgment in disposing of the stated materials."

Ridley has been employed with the Nashville Fire Department since May 1978. 
His district-chief position pays $59,385 a year, Lawson said.

Majors had been with the department since January 1983.

Under Metro law, Majors' estate is due $50,000 in life insurance as soon as 
his death certificate is produced. Up to $100,000 is also possible if the 
death is ruled accidental and up to $200,000 if it was in the line of duty.

That amount varies for Metro employees according to salary.

Families generally bring in a death certificate immediately so they can go 
ahead and receive the $50,000, Metro officials said. They added that an 
investigation into Majors' death is taking place, but that is standard 
procedure.

A spouse or minor children, if there is no legal spouse, is eligible for 
additional benefits if the employee who died has been employed at least 
five years.

That amount can be 25% of the last 12 months' average earnings divided by 
12, or the deceased's pension if the person was near retirement.

Federal death benefits also are available to municipal firefighters through 
the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

Staff writer Anne Paine contributed to this report.
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