Firefighter Given Job Back as Board Assails Department

The first in a group of San Diego firefighters arrested on federal drug charges last year was reinstated Thursday when the city’s Civil Service Commission ruled that the Fire Department’s system for dealing with employees who abuse drugs was “inequitable.”

The commission, however, placed seven-year firefighter Vincent Stevenson on suspension until July 16, then ordered that he be given his job back July 17.

Stevenson appealed his termination to the commission last month. Although he admitted smoking cocaine one night while off duty last year, his attorney argued that other recent cases of firefighters abusing drugs for long periods did not result in job dismissals.

The attorney, Joel Klevens, argued that there was no reason why some firefighters were suspended, others fired and still others referred to employee assistance programs because of drug activity. He pointed out that one firefighter abused drugs for several years but was not fired because he attended an assistance program.

No Uniform System

The commission agreed that the Fire Department seemed to have no uniform system for disciplining its members who have drug problems.

“The actions of Fire Department management in dealing with employees who use or abuse controlled substances have been inequitable,” the commission’s report detailing its findings said.

“The philosophy and actions of Fire Department management in retaining employees with long-term performance and admitted substance abuse problems, yet terminating an exemplary employee with an unblemished performance record . . . were flawed,” the report said.

Fire Department officials were unavailable for comment after the report was released late Thursday afternoon.

Stevenson testified that on March 26, 1988, he “made a mistake” and smoked a “primo”--a marijuana cigarette laced with rock cocaine. He was arrested, and the federal charges against him were deferred for a year with the provision that they be dropped if he remained free of drugs during that time.

Nevertheless, he was discharged.

The commission, besides finding the inequitable punishment system in the Fire Department, also took note of Stevenson’s work record as a firefighter. Several of his front-line supervisors testified that he was a good employee, and that they were shocked to learn he was arrested for drug violations.

Three other firefighters, including two fire captains, have appealed their discipline to the commission as well after they were arrested in the undercover police operation on charges of distributing drugs. Those appeals are pending, with more commission hearings scheduled for this month and in August.