Fired SF Firefighter Gets Reinstated

James Tommy Carpenter has been unanimously reinstated by the Shreveport Police and Fire Civil Service Board. The former Assistant Chief was fired after an internal investigation into the Station 8 scandal.

In 2014, Carpenter was charged with felony perjury after he allegedly lied to a grand jury investigating the alleged mistreatment of a mentally handicapped man.

In March, those charges were dismissed by a Caddo District Court Judge.

Carpenter will receive full pay and benefits.

This is a statement on the matter from the Shreveport Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board:

The Shreveport Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board heard the appeal of Assistant Chief James T. Carpenter.  Mr. Carpenter was terminated from the Shreveport Fire Department because he was indicted by a Caddo Parish Grand Jury for Perjury.  The Caddo Parish District Attorney dismissed the indictment against Mr. Carpenter.  In accordance with Civil Service Laws, Mr. Carpenter is entitled to a hearing before the Civil Service Board to present evidence and testimony to show that his termination from the fire department was not taken in good faith for cause.  The City of Shreveport has the burden of proof to show that Mr. Carpenter’s termination was taken in good faith for cause.  Based upon the evidence presented by the City, Mr. Carpenter was terminated because he was indicted.  There was no other evidence or testimony presented by the City regarding any other reason for the termination beyond the fact that Mr. Carpenter was indicted.  The Civil Service Board found that the termination of Mr. Carpenter was not taken in good faith for cause and in accordance with the Civil Service laws,  Mr. Carpenter was immediately reinstated to the position he was removed from with back pay, and all benefits, retroactive to the date of termination.  The Civil Service Board judges each case on its’ own merits and will continue to do so with each appeal that comes before it.