[Vision2020] Moscow fire chief denies drug cover-up

[Art Deco]

Wayne,

There is little disagreement with what you say about whitewash
investigations of local politicians, god ole boys/girls, and religious
crackpots.  One can only hope, except as noted below there is an
alternative.

Oxycontin, a synthetic narcotic, is a Schedule II Controlled Substance.
Possession of it without a valid prescription is a crime.  It is both a
state and federal crime, and depending on the circumstance may be a felony.

Besides being addictive unless used properly, here are some of the side
effects:

"Constipation; *dizziness; drowsiness;* heartburn;*
lightheadedness;*nausea; stomach upset; vomiting.

 Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing;
tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue;
unusual hoarseness); bloody or black stools; confusion; dark urine;
decreased or difficult urination; fainting; fast, slow, or irregular
heartbeat; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; *hallucination*;
hearing loss; mood or mental changes; muscle pain, weakness, or cramps;
one-sided weakness; ringing in the ears;* seizures; severe dizziness,
drowsiness, headache, or lightheadedness;* severe or persistent
constipation, heartburn, or stomach pain; shortness of breath; slow or
shallow breathing; trouble swallowing; unusual bruising or
bleeding;*vision or speech problems;
* vomit that looks like coffee grounds; wheezing; yellowing of the skin or
eyes.

             This is not a complete list of all side effects that may
occur."

Here are some questions:

Did the paid firefighter have a valid prescription? If not,despite the
judgment of Button, it is much more serious than having a bottle of
whiskey.  Since empty vials were also found, there is no way of knowing how
muchOxycontin had been in possession at one time.  Was Oxycontin being sold
to other firefighters or other people?

But much more important, should a firefighter be showing up to an emergency
potentially under the influence of whiskey or Oxycontin [See above]?
Obviously someone impaired should not be allowed around an emergency
situation.  In addition, if such a individual screws up at an emergency,
and damage is done, what are the liability considerations for the city and
the fire district?

Given that the possession of Oxycontin without a valid prescription
occurred, why wasn't evidence of this immediately reported to the MPD? If
Button and Carscalen did, in fact, suggest that the evidence be gotten rid
of, was not that also a crime, let alone a cover up?  Since possession of
Oxycontin without a valid prescription is a federal crime, then federal
obstruction of justice statutes may apply to the supression/destruction of
evidence.

Now that the story is out, is the MPD going to investigate? If not, why
not? They don't need a special invitation now that the story is out.  I had
hoped that with the departure of Cameron Hershaw and Dan Weaver from the
MPD and with the appointment of David Duke as chief, that favoritism would
greatly be reduced.  IF the MPD takes no vigorous action here, then we are
no better off than we were during the Weaver/Hershaw era.

This whole episode demonstrates incredibly bad judgment of the firefighter
in possession, Button, and Carscalen.

I do not live in the city (but I do live in the fire district), but if I
did I'd be asking that the city council ask the MPD for a complete
investigation, and if the story is as alleged, and after due process,
remove all three from their positions with the MFVD and pursue any
appropriate criminal charges..

**If the two people who had the fortitude and moral compass to issue the
complaint do not get satifaction, and/or any member of the community who
feels that a whitewash is occurring, the alternative is a report to the
U.S. Attorney's Office.  Save the tape recordings!

w.

On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 4:18 PM, Wayne Price <bear at moscow.com> wrote:

> Wayne,
>
> WHY bother?  Have you seen or heard of the possibility of an INDEPENDENT
> investigation being set up since this involves
> the fire chief and a member of the city counsel? Clearly the assault
>  "investigation"  earlier this year sends a message to the
> community that complaints are not welcome, so why bother?
>
> Jefferson once said that people get the kind of government they
> deserve. Since I, among others have only one recourse, the election,
> that is where I will exercise my option about local issues.
>
>
> Wayne
>
>
>
>
> On May 7, 2012, at 3:31 PM, Art Deco wrote:
>
> I won't start the comments, but there really ought to be some.
>
>
>
> _________________________
> Moscow fire chief denies drug cover-up
>
> * By Brandon Macz, Daily News staff writer | Posted: Monday, May 7, 2012
> 1:00 am *
>
> Moscow Fire Chief Ed Button denies a cover-up alleged by two volunteer
> firefighters in a complaint filed with the city.
>
> The complaint states that he and Fire Capt. Dan Carscallen overlooked
> suspected drugs and paraphernalia in Fire Station No. 1 and ordered them
> disposed of without contacting law enforcement. Button says he only ordered
> them removed from the building.
>
> Bonnie Shambaugh and Emily Kimberling state in complaints filed with city
> Human Resources Director Leslie Moss that suspected drugs and paraphernalia
> were found in a resident firefighter's desk Feb. 14. The drugs were
> allegedly found in a ring box that also contained vials, an empty pill
> capsule, razors and straws.
>
> When they contacted Carscallen, the on-duty fire command officer that
> night, Shambaugh's complaint states, Carscallen conferred with Button
> before calling back.
>
> "Carscallen called me sometime before 1:30 a.m. and told me that Button
> and himself decided they were going to treat the drugs like a bottle of
> whiskey, and give (the firefighter) the opportunity to get rid of it,"
> Shambaugh states. "I reminded him that it didn't just go against the
> resident handbook, but this behavior is illegal everywhere. Carscallen then
> said he thought Kimberling and I should go to (the firefighter) and tell
> her that she needed to get rid of everything and this would be the end of
> it."
>
> Button said in a phone interview Friday he felt the situation was handled
> properly and his decision, made after being awakened at 2 a.m. was
> immediate.
>
> "Sometimes an individual will be unhappy with how things transpire, but
> yeah, there was an event, and I think there was a feeling that there was a
> cover-up and there was no cover-up made," he said. "... There was never any
> instruction from my part to get rid of it or destroy. Anything that
> happened after that was not per my instruction. They said there's something
> suspicious and, I don't know, do it again, there might be something
> different. My just initial reaction at that time in the morning is that I
> want it out of the building."
>
> Shambaugh states the firefighter was approached and she agreed to dispose
> of the substance - the complaint alleges the firefighter said it was
> oxycodone - in the bathroom and throw out the paraphernalia. However, it
> states, Carscallen did not report to the station to witness this.
>
> "I'm not sure what the proper procedures were at the time, and we'd never
> dealt with something like that," Carscallen said. "I never personally saw
> what they found. I called the chief and discussed with him what the options
> were. It's all unfortunate that somebody thinks ... it's just an
> unfortunate situation all around."
>
> Carscallen and Button said the firefighter was drug tested the next
> morning and Carscallen added the results later came back negative. Button
> said there is no random drug testing policy within the volunteer fire
> department.
>
> But Shambaugh and Kimberling allege they felt intimidated and threatened
> during meetings they had separately with Carscallen and Button the day
> after the incident. Kimberling confirmed by phone Friday she filed a
> complaint with the city along with Shambaugh, but did not want to be quoted
> following an interview Friday.
>
> Shambaugh states she recorded her meeting with Button and Carscallen along
> with several other exchanges with administrators that she uses in her
> complaint. City attorney Randy Fife said Idaho has a one-party consent rule
> for recording conversations and Shambaugh was in her legal right to make
> recordings.
>
> "Button started by saying (the meeting) was meant to provide 'rumor and
> damage control not only for you (referring to me) and Emily too,' " alleges
> Shambaugh. "They explained if this got into the papers it could ruin my
> career opportunities."
>
> She states she was told by Button that if Carscallen had not been on duty
> that night, the police could have been contacted, and she said she thought
> law enforcement should have been notified. She alleges Button told her she
> could have ended up being accused of burglarizing the firefighter's room.
>
> "Button told me, 'This could have been the end of your career before it
> even got started,' " Shambaugh's complaint states.
>
> Shambaugh states she told the two they should have tested the firefighter
> immediately "because these kinds of drugs cycle through your metabolism
> very quickly." But since neither Button nor Carscallen were present during
> the incident, she alleges the conversation was mostly about her and
> Kimberling and trying to "scare us into keeping quiet."
>
> "Carscallen said, 'It could go from what he knows happened to the three of
> you were having a coke tootin' party in the room and you know that's...'
> Button interrupted and said he never thought of that and we need to 'keep
> it to ourselves.' "
>
> Button said he thinks Shambaugh and Kimberling misunderstood.
>
> "I believe they took it out of context," he said. "I don't believe there
> was any repercussions to threaten them with at all."
>
> Carscallen said his office at the North Latah County Highway District was
> used for the meeting to avoid rumors in the fire station.
>
> "It's my office, so it's just, where was a convenient place to have it?"
> he added.
>
> Shambaugh's boyfriend and former Moscow volunteer firefighter, Benjamin
> Dill, on Feb. 19 responded with her to a paramedic call at Walmart in a
> department vehicle. Because Dill did not fill out a ride-along form,
> Carscallen confronted Dill on the emergency loading dock of Gritman Medical
> Center where Dill alleged to the Latah County Sheriff's Office Carscallen
> grabbed him by his arm as he was attempting to leave.
>
> "It seemed like Dan was being more aggressive toward this whole situation
> with Ben because of the drug situation," said Shambaugh in a phone
> interview Saturday.
>
> The sheriff's office forwarded the investigative report to the county
> prosecutor's office without a recommendation for charges and it was later
> decided none would be filed.
>
> "... I was upset that a situation as simple as this was handled so
> dramatically," the complaint states of Carscallen's response to Dill's
> actions that day, "but a situation as serious as drugs at the fire station
> didn't even warrant Carscallen to come to the station and handle it
> properly. A precedent has been set, as several command officers have had
> their significant others and children in the command vehicles without such
> paperwork. M40 (the response vehicle) is to be used for personal use, as
> long as I am ready to leave those activities to respond to calls."
>
> Carscallen said he didn't know if Shambaugh's complaint was partially out
> of anger over Dill's battery allegations.
>
> "I'm don't know if the complainant had any animosity in that complaint,"
> he said. "That situation (with Dill) was done. I can't even remember far
> back what happened before or after."
>
> City Supervisor Gary Riedner said because Shambaugh and Kimberling are
> volunteers and not city employees, their complaints were handled as citizen
> complaints and the allegations were investigated, however, the results are
> confidential.
>
> "It's a personnel matter and we dealt with it," he said, adding of the
> investigation, "I'm unable able to comment on the process."
>
> Moscow Police Chief David Duke said Friday he had not received a referral
> from the city to investigate the allegations from the complaints filed by
> the firefighters and Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said he also was
> not aware of any investigation being conducted by the sheriff's office.
>
> The city pays for five administrative positions within the department,
> which does not include Carscallen's position.
>
> Riedner said there have been cases in the past regarding elected
> officials, such as Carscallen, who is Moscow City Council president, and
> perceived conflicts with their involvement in the community and affairs
> related to the city.
>
> "I'm not going to say it happens a lot, but it happens," said Riedner.
> "Dan being a part of the fire department is not a conflict."
>
> Both Button and Carscallen said they were aware of the complaints filed
> against them, however, neither had read them.
>
> Shambaugh said since filing her complaint with the city, she has been
> focused on getting through her paramedic contract.
>
> "I'm just trying to avoid them as much as possible, but yeah, I've heard
> that they've been having meetings about me," she said. "Obviously, I don't
> know what that's about."
>
> Button said neither Kimberling nor Shambaugh should be concerned about any
> reprisal for their complaints. Kimberling was not asked to return to the
> resident firefighter program next year.
>
> "I feel that there wouldn't be a risk of that jeopardizing their career as
> that being seen as a single issue," said Button. "A person shouldn't feel
> at risk. I'm not angry about this, and I don't feel any need to retaliate."
>  ------------------------------
>
> *Brandon Macz* can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 238, or by email to
> bmacz at dnews.com.
>
> --
> Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
> art.deco.studios at gmail.com
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-- 
Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
art.deco.studios at gmail.com
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