St. Pete fire chief responds to bullying, discrimination allegations after being put on administrative leave
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - St. Pete Fire Rescue Chief James Large responded to allegations against him of bullying and discrimination Friday. Large said he denies all the allegations, and said he has worked to increase diversity within the department.
"I remain committed to this city and to protecting it," Large said at a press conference with his attorney. "This is where I spent most of my life. I love this city, but it is necessary for my family and I to defend ourselves. I want to make sure that my record is clear, and again, I will remain transparent. I remain loyal to the city, to the citizens that I serve, to the brave members of St. Pete Fire and Rescue that I have the honor to serve with and work with, as well as the mayor's staff and the mayor."
St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch cited the allegations made in an employee climate survey when he put Large on paid administrative leave about two weeks ago.
"It has been my life's work. I serve at the pleasure of the citizens of St. Pete, my fellow firefighters, the mayor, staff and the mayor. I want to be completely transparent, as we've mentioned, during this process and for my record to stand on its own merit," Large, who has served nearly 50 years in SPFR, said.
His attorney and close friend, Jay Hebert, said the chief has been wrongfully accused.
"I’m hired to make sure that my friend, and I believe one of the most honorable men I've ever met and that one of the finest leaders I've ever met … that he has an opportunity to have his side of the story told," Hebert said at the press conference Friday.
"He has spent a career becoming progressive and leading our great city into the next chapter," Hebert said.
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Hebert and Large sent a 100-page detailed response to the allegations to the mayor and to the city Friday. The response includes a letter from Large’s administrative assistant, an African American woman, who defended Large.
Large’s administrative assistant Chevonne Cottle-King wrote, "I have been in shock and awe at the recent allegations being made about Chief Large … it sounds like that person they speak of in the media is a completely different person from the kind, compassionate, and caring Chief Large that I have come to know."
The 100-page response also includes a letter from former St. Pete Mayor Bill Foster. Foster wrote, "SPFR is a wonderful diverse organization, far above any other agency in the Tampa Bay Area, and it would be sad to tinker with it over an anonymous, cowardly and unsubstantiated survey."
Hebert and Large said while they encourage feedback and for people to speak up if there are issues, they question the validity of the survey. They said that it didn’t require any proof that the person taking it was a city employee, and they think some of the anonymous statements may have been politically motivated.
"You didn't have to be a firefighter. It could be the same person sitting by a keyboard, pecking away at the same responses," Hebert said.
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Hebert said out of the close to 262 current members Large has hired since 2006, about 49% are minorities or women. He also said three out of seven of Large’s command staff are in a protected class, meaning they are a minority or a woman.
Large also started the cadet program. The majority of the people in the program, according to Hebert, are minorities. Large wants to get more funding for the cadet program for a lieutenant’s exam prep class, and provide minorities with more opportunities, Hebert said.
Former City Council Member Charlie Gerdes also wrote a letter that is included in the 100-page response to the allegations.
Gerdes wrote, "I had private meetings with Chief Large and other Command Staff. He never once said or betrayed anything that was racist, sexist or homophobic. Those characteristics of Chief Large are foreign to the man that I got to know over my time in office … to label Chief Large as racist, sexist or homophobic is to describe a Chief James Large that I have never met."
Large also said he wants to create a diversity, equity and inclusion committee to get concerns addressed moving forward.
"We want everyone to know that's within this department 400 strong that there is no room for this. This is 2023, and we're not going to take and allow this to occur and be systemic or even a little piece of it. It is, though, not perfect. There's no way for it to be perfect. There is a way to make it better and be progressive, and that's exactly what he wants to do," Hebert said.
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Hebert and Large said they would like to talk to the people who are calling for Large to step down and address their concerns. When asked if retiring or resigning have crossed his mind, Large said "absolutely not."
They both also think the city should conduct a more formal survey of employees’ feelings with more parameters. Hebert said the mayor’s office acknowledged the chief’s response.
FOX 13 reached out to the city for a comment on the chief’s response, asked about the validity of the employee climate survey and for the demographics of St. Pete Fire Rescue and is waiting to hear back.
Hebert said the city hasn’t given them any indication on a timeline regarding the investigation. FOX 13 asked the city about this as well and is waiting to hear back.
Assistant Fire Chief Robert Bassett is serving as acting chief.