Details revealed about San Jose fire engine seen outside Pink Poodle
New details about San Jose firefighter scandal
San Jose city reocrds have been releaed about a scandal that started when a scantily clad woman was seen emerging from a fire engine parked outside a strip club. The firefighters on board claimed they were at the Pink Poodle last October to get a flash drive of firefighter pictures taken by a photographer who works at the club. They also said the woman in a bikini and high heels had inisted on getting a ride.
A San Jose fire department report is shedding new light on a scandal that started when a bikini-clad woman was seen emerging from a fire engine outside a strip club.
Firefighters on that engine told department investigators they went to the Pink Poodle club in October to get a flash drive of photos from a photographer who works at the club and had taken pictures of fire personnel, according to a copy of the report obtained by KTVU.
Firefighters also claimed that the woman in the video had demanded a ride on their engine, which they provided.
Read the full report below or click here if you have trouble viewing it.
The report was first obtained by the Mercury News, which had sued the city to release it. The city had resisted until a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge ordered its release.
"This was a slam dunk. There was no question that the records should have been disclosed," said David Loy, legal director of the First Amendment Coalition. "There was no question that this conduct was committed. The only question was ‘What was the full story?'"
A San Jose fire captain has been demoted because of the incident.
The 25-page personnel report was written by Chief Robert Sapien.
It says Fire Captain William Tognozzi is demoted to fire engineer for his role. The report says that Tognozzi "directed Engine 4 to the adult club to pick up a flash drive" of portraits that the Pink Poodle photographer had taken earlier.
The woman in the video climbed into the engine and insisted on a ride around the block and refused multiple orders to get out.
Tognozzi was demoted for misconduct, failure to satisfactorily perform duties of his position, failure to observe applicable rules and regulations and misuse of city property, the records show.
Fire Engineer Bryan Dragges, Firefighter Matt Westcott and Fire Engineer Zach Clark were identified as the other department personnel who were involved. These individuals were not disciplined.
"When it comes to how public money is being spent, and to what extent public employees are breaking the rules while on the job, the public has a right to the whole story, not just the official story," said Loy. "Public employees work for the public. We pay their salaries. They're on public time when they're doing public business. And we have a right to know how they're doing their job. And how and to what extent they've broken the rules."
The report does not explain a stop made by Engine 4 at A-J's Restaurant and Bar after it left the Pink Poodle. The firefighters said they do not remember making that stop.