MERIDIAN, ID — Multiple City of Meridian departments and employees are named in a new civil lawsuit and accused of intentionally falsifying data.
The lawsuit was filed in February by an Ada County woman who claims she was hired last year to collect data on the city’s fire department’s response times.
According to the complaint, the Meridian Fire Deputy Chief was “unhappy with the data” and told her and her colleagues to “omit unfavorable data, emphasize other data, The lawsuit alleges that he instructed the company to “correct the data by manipulating both displays.” . ”
Last year, I spoke with several fire chiefs in the department who directly pointed to long response times as a reason for the need for new and improved equipment.
When I asked the city for comment, it said the fire department had not falsified any data and that it “categorically disagrees with the charges and allegations and intends to address these issues in court.”
The former employee is requesting a jury trial on grounds of emotional harm and wrongful termination.
We have reached out to those involved to discuss the allegations further. We will continue to update you as more information becomes available.
Below is a statement from the plaintiff’s attorney regarding this lawsuit.
[Plaintiff] She lost her job because she prioritized the health and safety of Meridian residents over her own job. She embodies the kind of person we all expect and expect from our local fire department employees.
Arbitrary manipulation of fire response data undermines the ability of decision makers to make informed and accurate decisions about the provision of public facilities and emergency response resources that are critical to the health, well-being, and safety of Meridian residents. Become.
[Plaintiff]His remarkable integrity should serve as an inspiration to public servants across the state. It would have been much easier to ignore it. Instead, [Plaintiff] She reported any potential illegal and wasteful data manipulation she observed, first directly to the Deputy Chief and then up the chain of command, giving the Meridian Fire Department and the City of Meridian every opportunity to take corrective action. . Unfortunately, her employer in Meridian responded by surrounding the wagons and ignoring her report, instead imposing penalties to protect the image of the department’s political establishment over the safety of Meridian residents. selected. [Plaintiff] Professionally.
We believe that if the City of Meridian did not properly investigate illegal activity and waste reports, courts and juries would [Plaintiff]colleagues recognize the importance of accurate fire response data, and civil servants will be happy to advocate for it.
Brian Arts
Below is a statement from the City of Meridian regarding the lawsuit.
Meridian Fire Department did not submit manipulated or false data and on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, officially achieved accredited agency status through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) and the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) Did. This certification is representative of the hardware. We respect the work and dedication of the Meridian Fire Department, and we categorically disagree with this complaint and allegation and intend to address these issues in court. Certification is received for meeting extensive standards established through CFAI’s programs, which are verified through organizational assessments and technical reviews. The Meridian Fire Department is the first in the state of Idaho to achieve this status through his CFAI. We are proud of the Department’s commitment to embodying the highest standards of government transparency and providing the best possible services to our communities.
city of meridian
