UPDATED: 12:46 PM EST November 30, 2004
LAWRENCE, Mass. -- A videotape that allegedly shows a Massachusetts firefighter and a 911 dispatcher snorting cocaine and drinking beer on duty has been released.
The surveillance tape was recorded on an overnight shift Nov. 17.
Excerpts of the tape released by the mayor Monday allegedly show the two fire department employees engaged in drinking beer, snorting cocaine and dancing. One was identified as a civilian dispatcher named Judy Brito. The other was identified as fulltime firefighter Isidro "Junior" Cordero. Both were fired after a disciplinary hearing on Friday.
Lawrence's Mayor Michael J. Sullivan said the behavior was intolerable.
A videotape allegedly shows a Massachusetts firefighter and a 911 dispatcher snorting cocaine and drinking beer on duty.
"It's a black eye for the city to have any employee, while they're on the clock, getting involved in any drinking or taking of drugs. It's just totally unacceptable. It was a sad week for the city. We're trying to change the image of the city and ... we don't enjoy doing ... talking about, stories like this, but they're facts. We took immediate action," Sullivan said.
Brito can file a grievance with the city and appeal her firing. She has not done so. Cordero underwent a four-hour civil service hearing Friday where the city weighed whether it had enough evidence to terminate his employment.
The fire department launched an investigation after getting an anonymous tip that the employees were partying in the control room at 60 Bodwell St. They then installed a hidden camera and later confronted the pair with the evidence.
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