The city of Salisbury has fired two Fire Department employees and demoted two more for sexual misconduct and harassment, according to a news release.
Engineer Tim Grisham was fired Tuesday, and firefighter Chet Hedrick was fired today, the city said. Shawn McBride was demoted from captain to engineer, and Jeremy Carter was demoted to a lower grade of firefighter.
McBride and Carter were also suspended.
According to letters given to the employees and provided by the city:
Grisham was fired for sexual misconduct at work and sharing an inapspropriate photo with other staff members; sexual harassment; and lying to Fire Chief Bob Parnell when asked about the conduct.
Hedrick was fired today for sexual misconduct — receiving inappropriate phots and sharing them with other staff members; not reporting potential sexual harassment within the department; and lying about not knowing the identity of the person in the photos.
McBride was disciplined for violating sexual harassment reporting procedures.
Carter was disciplined for receiving and not reporting the photo and violating sexual harassment reporting procedures.
The city said Tuesday it was investigating allegations of sexual misconduct within the Fire Department for the second time in two years. In 2011, three fire department employees were fired and one was suspended in connection to a sex scandal.
Hedrick was the employee suspended after the 2011 investigation.
Battalion Chief Chris Lyerly, Capt. Baxter “Buddy” Miller and firefighter Courtney Brown were all dismissed from the department during the 2011 investigation.
City officials say the investigation that resulted in this week’s actions is ongoing.