I won't start the comments, but there really ought to be some.<br><br><br><br>_________________________<br clear="all">
<h1 style="font-size:24px">Moscow fire chief denies drug cover-up</h1>
<h1 style="font-size:24px"> </h1>
<p>
<strong>
By Brandon Macz, Daily News staff writer | Posted: Monday, May 7, 2012 1:00 am
</strong>
</p><p>Moscow Fire Chief Ed Button denies a cover-up alleged by two volunteer firefighters in a complaint filed with the city.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>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.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>When they contacted Carscallen, the on-duty fire
command officer that night, Shambaugh's complaint states, Carscallen
conferred with Button before calling back.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"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."</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>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.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"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."</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>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.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"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."</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>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.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>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.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>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.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"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."</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>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.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"Button told me, 'This could have been the end of your career before it even got started,' " Shambaugh's complaint states.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>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."</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"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.' "</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>Button said he thinks Shambaugh and Kimberling misunderstood.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"I believe they took it out of context," he said. "I don't believe there was any repercussions to threaten them with at all."</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>Carscallen said his office at the North Latah County
Highway District was used for the meeting to avoid rumors in the fire
station.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"It's my office, so it's just, where was a convenient place to have it?" he added.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>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.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"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.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>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.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"... 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."</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>Carscallen said he didn't know if Shambaugh's complaint was partially out of anger over Dill's battery allegations.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"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."</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>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.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"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."</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>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.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>The city pays for five administrative positions within the department, which does not include Carscallen's position.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>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.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"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."</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>Both Button and Carscallen said they were aware of the complaints filed against them, however, neither had read them.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>Shambaugh said since filing her complaint with the city, she has been focused on getting through her paramedic contract.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"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."</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>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.</p>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p>"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."</p>
</div>
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<hr>
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<div class="encrypted-content" style>
<p><strong>Brandon Macz</strong> can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 238, or by email to <a href="mailto:bmacz@dnews.com">bmacz@dnews.com</a>.</p>
</div>
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