Nick Martin’s Return Short-Lived. Kentland Lt. Again Terminated.
STATter 911 has learned that Kentland VFD’s Nick Martin has again been terminated by the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department. Recently a judge ordered Martin reinstated after determining that Martin didn’t get “due process” during his first termination. That disciplinary action followed a videotaped scuffle at a February, 2006 house fire in Landover Hills.
(More background and a link to the video can be found here)
Lt. Martin was recently allowed to begin running calls until a disciplinary hearing could be held and the results given to Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Chief Lawrence Sedgwick. Sources familiar with the hearing, but not in a position to speak officially for their organizations, tell STATter 911 that Martin plead guilty at the hearing and asked for forgiveness. Despite that, according to the sources, Chief Sedgwick’s position remained the same and Martin was terminated.
STATter 911 has contacted the leadership at Kentland VFD, but has not received a response. On its website Kentland33.com, it was acknowledged on July 18, 2007 that Lt. Martin had returned and responded to a fire in Bladensburg.
This morning we received this email from Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Chief Spokesperson Mark Brady:
Dave: After checking with the Fire/EMS Department Office of Law the following statement was provided –
Personnel action taken by the Fire Chief is not part of a public record and by law, can not be released.
I can say that after a judges ruling, Nick Martin was not found not to have been afforded “due process” and he was returned to active status.
Within a short period of time, a disciplinary process was initiated, to allow due process, at which time the facts of the case were discussed and after a final review and recommendations from the disciplinary committee, appropriate action was taken by the Fire Chief.
Mark E. Brady
Chief Spokesperson
