Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) is telling fire chiefs they should suspend volunteers facing serious criminal investigations, after a convicted child sex abuser was allowed to remain in a brigade.
Photo: RNZ / Tracy Neal
FENZ promised to review its policies after RNZ revealed earlier this year that the head of a brigade kept a volunteer firefighter on after he was charged and then convicted for indecently assaulting his young child. He wasn't kicked off the brigade until after he was sentenced.
The fire chief put the man on non-public facing duties but continued to include him in training sessions and social activities, and pictures of the man were posted to the fire brigade's public Facebook page in the lead up to his trial.
Guidelines for fire chiefs have now been changed so they are explicit about criminal investigations.
The guidelines already said suspension should be considered when "alleged serious misconduct, if proven, could mean that the volunteers shouldn't have direct contact with their colleagues or the public". But FENZ has now added: "This includes, for example, suspension for the period during which a serious criminal investigation is underway."
FENZ acting deputy chief executive Sid Wellik said the child abuser case had sparked a full review of its guidance for managing poor performance and misconduct allegations.
"While we found the guidance was appropriate and fit for purpose, if followed, we included specific guidance that a person should be suspended if they are the subject of a serious criminal investigation."
As well as updating the guidelines, FENZ had called in an expert external facilitator to work with the convicted child abuser's brigade.
Members of the brigade turned up at court to support the firefighter when he went on trial. They were in court again, after he was convicted for the indecent assault, to support him at his sentencing.
The child's mother complained to Fire and Emergency that the firefighter shouldn't have been allowed to remain with his brigade and said the brigade's public show of support for the abuser had turned the small town against her and her child. But it wasn't until RNZ approached FENZ that the mother received an apology.
"As we've previously said, Fire and Emergency New Zealand agrees the brigade did not follow correct or appropriate processes in dealing with the volunteer's continued involvement in the brigade - and we have taken significant steps to make sure all Fire and Emergency personnel involved are now very aware of their serious responsibilities in such situations," Wellik said.
"The work with the brigade is continuing, and the initial sessions held have been well received, addressing a number of lessons learnt and improvements for the future."
FENZ is currently being reviewed following years of bullying and harassment complaints.
In April, The Public Service Commission announced Belinda Clark QSO would lead a review to assess what changes had been made since FENZ was found by Judge Coral Shaw to have a culture of bullying and harassment.
In 2018, the judge reviewed the organisation and, as well as finding a culture of bullying and harassment, reported there were unacceptable levels of sexism, racism and homophobia.
In the years since the Shaw report, a number of firefighters have accused Fire and Emergency of failing to properly deal with their complaints of sexual assault, harassment or bullying.
Fire and Emergency board chair Rebecca Keoghan, MNZM, requested the Public Service Commission review and said she was looking forward to the findings and "the reviewer's recommendations on how we can continue to improve things for our people".
The review is due to be completed in November.