S.F. Fire Chief Resigns Amid Rising Race Tension

Mayor Art Agnos on Friday accepted the resignation of Fire Chief Edward J. Phipps amid rising tensions at the racially troubled department.

The resignation came a day after U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel questioned Phipps about allegations of racism in the department and declared that the situation among the city’s firefighters was “out of control.”

Patel’s investigation was prompted by a Jan. 4 incident in which two minority firefighters found a 1 1/2-foot-tall wooden swastika upon returning to their downtown station house.

The swastika incident was only the latest in a series of alleged cases of racial harassment to come to light at the station house since June 8, 1986, when two firefighters exchanged blows after one of them used a racial epithet.

‘Anti-Discrimination Laws’

After the Thursday hearing, Patel said: “The continuing incidents of racial harassment have not been dealt with expeditiously or firmly. There seems to be neither the commitment, interest nor ability in the department to carry out the court order to carry out anti-discrimination laws.”

Phipps, appearing beside Agnos in full uniform less than two hours after offering his resignation, said he wanted to give Agnos a chance “to pick his own team.”

Agnos began his term as mayor a week ago.

Just two days before his resignation, Phipps had said he had no plans to leave the department. When asked why he changed his mind, he said: “The sun came out and it looked like it would be nice to lie on a beach.”

Phipps made no direct reference at the afternoon news conference to the recent racial incidents. Agnos, however, said that the incidents were “incomprehensible in a top-notch Fire Department which rescues all creeds and races.” He said the city would continue its efforts to comply with a federal court order to enforce anti-discrimination laws.