Grand Jury Criticizes Solana Beach Fire Chief

Former Solana Beach Fire Chief Peter Fox, in violation of his own department’s regulations, used on-duty personnel to perform personal errands, including assisting in the construction of his home, according to a San Diego County Grand Jury report released this week.

The report also concluded that allegations that a Solana Beach Fire Department captain grew marijuana behind the station house were true.

The grand jury investigation, sparked by an anonymous complaint in February, added that such occurrences were “isolated incidences.”

The grand jury report, released late Thursday, also found that:

- The department’s required monthly training is “not taken seriously and is generally inadequate in the medical emergency area.”

- Seventy-five percent of the calls are for medical emergencies rather than fires. This is higher than the 66% county average for medical emergency calls.

- The department’s grievances board “is not functioning to review and resolve valid complaints.”

- Rules and regulations are perceived as guidelines, not as firm policy.

- Management and the “example set by some of the chiefs” have brought about a “general deterioration” in morale.

- There has been favoritism in promotions.

But the grand jury report did not find enough evidence to substantiate complaints that:

- Department personnel received gratuities in return for overlooking fire code violations.

- Personnel singled out some businesses for fire code violations and overlooked others.

- Complaints made to Fire Department officers about violations of rules and regulations were not followed up.

The grand jury report also recommended that the city manager review the qualifications and medical skills of all Fire Department personnel, and the managerial skills of captains.

Fox, who remains chief of the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Department despite his Solana Beach resignation Monday, had no comment Friday, a department spokeswoman said.

On Thursday night, the Solana Beach City Council, meeting as the fire district board, set the wheels in motion to dissolve a joint powers agreement with the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Department and to merge its fire district with the city government.

The City Council also confirmed the city manager’s appointment of Dallas Neville as acting fire chief until May 1.

In the wake of the grand jury report, the Rancho Santa Fe Fire District Board issued a statement Friday concurring with its findings. The three-man board discussed the matters in the report with Fox and concluded that “no further action is warranted,” according to their statement.

“We can only conclude that the administration of the Rancho Santa Fe Fire District has been and continues to be well-handled by Chief Fox and his staff,” the board said.