Black firefighters want feds to investigate Chicago Fire Department

CHICAGO (FOX 32 / AP) — A group of black Chicago firefighters is asking for a federal investigation into the operations of the city's fire department.

African American Firefighters & Paramedics League founder James Winbush says Commissioner Jose Santiago has turned a deaf ear to concerns the department doesn't hire enough African-American firefighters. He says Santiago should be dismissed, adding efforts to address the lagging number of black firefighters has been going on for five years with no results.

“He needs to be gone. He's racist. He's incompetent. He's a union buster,” said James Winbush, founder of African American Firefighters & Paramedics League.

After Winbush leveled harsh allegations against Comr. Santiago, two female veterans -- each with more than 20 years on the Chicago Fire Department -- stepped forward. They claimed to have been punished harshly over relatively minor offenses and to have been demoted without justification.

“I'm asking the Justice Department. I'm your poster child. Pull my record. Tell me, what have I done to create, or should I say deserve what I've gotten,” said Fire Captain Carmelita Wiley-Earls.

Wiley-Earls lost a federal lawsuit she filed after her demotion, which took place before Santiago became commissioner. But she and others said African-Americans continued to be underrepresented in The Fire Department under his leadership, citing the latest group of new hires.

“We have 120 in the Academy and only 10 African-Americans,” said Gregory Boggs, President of the AAFPL.

FOX 32 could not reach Comr. Santiago for comment. He's among the highest-ranking Hispanics appointed by Mayor Emanuel.

Members of the City Council's Hispanic Caucus spoke out immediately after the news conference, denying Santiago is in any way racist. Ald. Rick Munoz declared the following:

"Jose Santiago's a good guy overseeing a paramilitary organization, trying to reform its old ways. He embraces diversity. He understands it."

The mayor had only praise for his fire boss.

“Jose Santiago did a tremendous job at OEMC and a tremendous job as not only a firefighter, but leading the firefighters department,” Santiago said.

Boggs noted that part of a 1980 agreement a firefighters strike requires that 30 percent of all firefighters in each rank be African-American.

Mayor Emanuel says he and Santiago have taken a leadership role in cleaning up a fire department with a long and documented history of discrimination.