Cancellation of Firefighter Cadet Class Under Fire

A decision to cancel a training class for Ventura County firefighter cadets because the group lacked ethnic diversity drew rebukes Tuesday from a county supervisor who questioned its legality and a taxpayer advocate who queried its cost.

Ventura County Fire Chief James Sewell defended his department’s decision earlier this month and denied accusations that $30,000 of taxpayer money was wasted.

Although there were other factors, Sewell said the county fire academy class was primarily canceled because most of the contenders selected from a pool of 1,600 applicants were white. He said this was not in keeping with county policy to have a work force that reflects the ethnic and gender makeup of the community.

“The Board of Supervisors direct the policy of the fire district,” he said. “And I think the policy is a good one.”

But board Chairman Frank Schillo said he disagreed with the chief’s actions. He said the department’s only obligation is to make sure that it adequately promotes its job openings to the public.

“If [enough minorities] don’t respond, there’s nothing you can do,” he said. “But to say this group was not the right mix doesn’t cut it. That’s not good. It may not even be legal.”

Schillo said he plans to talk with Sewell about the issue.

“I just don’t agree that this is a reflection of the board’s policy,” he said. “I think he should consult with the board before doing things like this.”

The decision also rankled some firefighters, who said it smacked of reverse discrimination.

“It was my impression we no longer did quota hiring . . . ,” said Ken Maffei, president of the Ventura County Firefighters Assn. “To me, that’s exactly what this is, quota hiring.”

Maffei said he has heard from several members disturbed by the chief’s decision.

“I’ve heard from female firefighters who said they were also upset because it puts the spotlight on them,” he said.

Jere Robings, president of the Ventura County Taxpayers Alliance, told county supervisors Tuesday that he had received two anonymous calls from people who said the Fire Department had spent $30,000 to prepare the 18 cadets for the training academy. He said the money was spent on oral and written tests, medical exams and background checks.

“I’d like to know if that money has been lost, is it recoverable or has it simply been written off?” Robings said.

Although he could not give a specific amount, Sewell said the money his department spent on testing and background checks went to narrow a list of 1,600 applicants who first entered the recruiting process in 1994.

As a result of the testing, Sewell said that his department hired 28 firefighters in February 1995 and that other fire departments have since used the applicant list for recruiting purposes.

“I don’t think the money was wasted at all,” he said, noting that it’s possible his department spent $30,000 or more on its recruitment program.

Recently, the county Fire Department pulled another 12 candidates and six alternates from the list for a six-month training course that was to start in October. But earlier this month, Sewell threw out the names and reopened the academy to new applicants.

Except for $4,700 spent on background checks for those 18 cadets, Sewell said he did not know specifically how much the Fire Department spent testing them for admission into the academy.

Sewell said the background checks did, however, turn up information that eliminated two people from recruitment and contributed to the decision to cancel the rest of the class. He declined to elaborate.

The fire chief pointed out that his department has been criticized for not having a diverse work force and for the lack of women and minorities in management-level positions.

“We have a very small turnover, so our progress is very, very slow,” he said. “The key is to bring people in at the bottom. If they’re not getting in at the bottom, then you’re not going to have them years later at the management level.”

Of the department’s 357-member work force, 66 are minorities and 14 are women, Sewell said. In a few cases, women are also counted as minorities.

Sewell said that in the near future, the county Fire Department plans to join a new recruitment drive with the Ventura and Oxnard fire departments to search out more minorities.

Robings said the county should not give preferential treatment or consideration to any group. He told supervisors that Proposition 209, the statewide measure on the Nov. 5 ballot that would ban all government-sponsored affirmative action programs, will deal with this issue head-on.

“If it’s passed, it will put this matter to rest,” he said.

But Supervisor John K. Flynn said the county should continue to advocate diversity because many of its departments still do not reflect the makeup of the community they serve.

“Some people have a harder time getting a job than others simply because of the color of their skin,” he said. “That’s a given as far as I’m concerned.”