COPPERAS COVE, Texas (KXXV) — The City of Copperas Cove is holding a press conference to provide a statement and answer questions regarding recent Copperas Cove Fire Department internal and criminal investigations.
Copperas Cove City Manager Ryan Haverlah said a firefighter who has since been removed was found to have taken, and in illegal possession of controlled drugs, but did not involve, "a massive amount of drugs," at the fire station.
Haverlah added during a question and answer portion after giving his statement that a peer noticed the firefighter was not acting or functioning normally. The investigation determined the drug possession and consumption happened while at the fire station. But the firefighter was not assigned to an ambulance.
Haverlah said on July 7, the Copperas Cove fire chief Gary Young, the Copperas Cove Police Department, and himself were notified of alleged misconduct, "possibly illegal drug use in the fire department," involving two firefighters. Both were immediately placed on administrative leave and it was later determined that neither of them were on duty that day.
Watch the press conference here:
Haverlah said he made the call to the police department to handle the internal and criminal investigation.
Two Copperas Cove Fire Captains were allegedly engaging in misconduct and were immediately put on administrative leave.
Actions taken as a result of the criminal and internal investigations
- Accountability actions were taken
- Termination of employees
- Discipline of other team members
- An indictment of one former employee
- Confirmation of illegal possession of drugs
- Several policy violations
Haverlah said the Coryell County grand jury indicted the firefighter found in illegal possession of controlled drugs on Aug. 28, and the internal investigation finished on July 28. Haverlah added that the Coryell County District Attorney's Office will prosecute the former firefighter found in possession of the drugs.
The investigations were initiated on July 16 and resulted in at least four firefighters being removed. The investigations found city policy violations leading to one firefighter resigning on July 9, two firefighters terminated on July 31, and one firefighter being terminated on Aug. 1.
Haverlah said as a general policy, they do not release names of employees that are involved in internal investigations and disciplinary actions, and that appropriate action has been taken for the firefighters involved in the investigation.
"These employees have received the consequences for their actions. I'm not here to publicly destroy anyone, and if you were the subject of an investigation, you would not want your name and actions on public display. So I ask that everybody, please be respectful."
Haverlah doubled-down on the fact that the investigations were fair, despite being done internally and in partnership with CCPD, and that all firefighters involved had due process and opportunities to respond during an appeal process.
Haverlah emphasized that this was not a department-wide issue, and that Chief Young did not directly or indirectly contribute to or allow the misconduct. This investigation also did not have influence on his decision to retire.
Response times and staffing right now are not impacted by these investigations or loss of firefighters. However, the city will soon be undergoing a search for its future fire chief. Haverlah said interim scheduling needs have been made to adjust to staffing changes.
Mutual aid services, which existed before the investigations, to help with coverage during emergencies come from the Killeen Fire Department, Fort Hood EMS and Hamilton EMS departments.
