Fung’s Nominee for Fire Chief Valletta Comes Under Criticism for Assault, Racial Slurs - And Retires
Monday, July 22, 2019
The Cranston Action Network (CAN) came out opposed to the appointment by Cranston Mayor Allan Fung of Paul Valletta for Fire Chief of the City of Cranston -- and on Sunday, he retired.
The group said it had “serious concerns” and said Valletta did not have the “right temperament” to become Fire Chief.
CAN describes itself as “residents and friends of Cranston working together for a caring, resilient, and progressive community. We seek economic, racial, social, and political justice, a sustainable environment, and a government that serves the common good.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTLate Sunday afternoon, Fung announced that Valletta was out and would retire.
“This weekend, I was notified by Acting Fire Chief Paul Valletta that he will be retiring from the Cranston Fire Department as of Friday, July 26, 2019, to focus on his union leadership position with the IAFF at the State House. As such, his nomination as permanent Fire Chief will also be withdrawn,” said Fung in an announcement.
“The City of Cranston is grateful for his decades of skilled fire service and wishes him all the best in his future endeavors,” added Fung.
According to CAN:
Valletta currently serves as Cranston’s Assistant Fire Chief and head of the firefighter’s union in Cranston, IAFF 1363. In 2017, as Deputy Fire Chief, he was charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct for assaulting a fellow firefighter. The alleged assault, which took place in a Cranston fire station during working hours, was inflicted upon Scott Bergantino, a firefighter who reported to him. Valletta was later found guilty of disorderly conduct; the assault charges were dismissed.
CAN members listened to the audio recording of the altercation. We heard Mr. Valletta use a racial slur when arguing with Mr. Bergantino. So did Jim Vincent, President of the NAACP of Providence, and others.
The following are some of the outcomes:
1. Firefighter Scott Bergantino was taken to the emergency room as a result of injuries received during Mr. Valletta’s “disorderly conduct”.
2. Bergantino is still not back at work, two years later, and either remains out on medical leave or was terminated due to running out of available leave. We are not privy to personnel matters.
3. The City of Cranston has paid out over $100,000 in some combination of sick and/or other leave paid to Bergantino, all as a direct result of Valletta’s actions.
4. The City of Cranston has already paid out over $100,000 in legal costs related to a pending lawsuit filed by Mr. Bergantino relating to this incident.
5. The only "disciplinary action" was that Valletta was placed on a brief paid administrative leave.
6. In 2004, he was charged with disturbing a public assembly after an argument with then-mayor Steve Laffey at a Cranston City Council meeting. He was said to have threatened the mayor. These charges were eventually dropped.
7. Shortly after the 2017 incident, and in spite of the seriousness of the breach of conduct, Paul Valletta was promoted to Assistant Fire Chief.
8. Valletta is now, less than 2 years after being found guilty of disorderly conduct, nominated, and on the verge of becoming Cranston’s Fire Chief.
CAN strongly believes that having a Fire Chief known to have an uncontrolled temper would impede the free flow of information both within the Fire Department and between the Fire Department and other parts of city government.
CAN strongly believes that Paul Valletta’s promotion to Fire Chief would hinder, not help, the diversity in hiring initiative now underway and being promoted by Cranston’s newly formed Diversity Commission, by creating an uncomfortable working environment for people of color.
CAN notes that in a city with close to 30% people of color, the city's workforce, at the last count, has 2% people of color. The Fire Department currently has no minority firefighters.
CAN strongly supports the mission of Cranston’s Diversity Commission, which is to hire and retain people of color in the city.
This story was first published 7/21/19 6:05 PM
