The United States Department of Justice is investigating allegations of racism within the Kansas City fire department.
The probe comes months after The Kansas City Star published articles in December 2020 exposing widespread racism and sex discrimination inside the department. Kansas City spokesperson Sherae Honeycutt confirmed the investigation and stated that the city was “cooperating fully,” according to the Star.
In the last year, three Black firefighters claim they and their peers have been questioned about the racism they have experienced in the fire department and their complaints of a hostile work environment, the Star reported.
Attorneys representing Battalion Chief Stephen Seals, 55, made the first known mention of a DOJ probe in a complaint submitted in Jackson County Circuit Court last week. Seals, a Black firefighter who has been with KCFD since 1995, claims, among other things, that he was victimized in retaliation for cooperating with DOJ investigators.
The lawsuit alleges the high-ranking firefighter spoke with the Justice Department twice in January 2022 regarding its investigation into claims of racial discrimination and the department’s recruiting and promotion procedures.
Steel was re-interviewed in August and disclosed to his deputy chief that he was participating in the investigation, prompting additional retaliation by the KCFD, the Star reported.
Another Black firefighter claimed a DOJ investigator contacted him around eight months ago. He said he spent nearly four hours speaking with at least three investigators during an official Zoom interview.
Their discussion centered on the firefighter’s racism encounters within the department, the promotion procedures, and the treatment of other Black firefighters.
The firefighter claimed it’s not just one person but a multi-layer system where inappropriate behavior has no repercussions. “They can treat you however they want,” he contended.
He expressed his satisfaction with federal investigators investigating discrimination within the fire department but said he is doubtful significant changes will be made.
“I’m glad they’re coming in to look but what results they’re going to get is yet to be determined,” he said in the Star. “After all is said and done, nobody’s going to get fired and nothing is going to change.”
The fire department was dominated for decades by white men. Black and female firefighters faced discrimination, were excluded from the most prestigious fire stations, and passed over for promotions, the Star reported.
The Star also noted that only 14% of the Kansas City fire department was Black compared to the city’s 30% Black population. At the time, just three of the 48 highest-ranking firefighters were Black.
Seals was one of several who filed a lawsuit against the agency, claiming he was often passed over for advancements in favor of white applicants. In 2021, Kansas City awarded him $250,000.
Before that, Seals claimed — in a now-dropped case — that he suffered retaliation for informing a Black cadet that a white classmate had used a racial slur.
Seals claims in his latest lawsuit that he was denied employment and subjected to retaliation because he previously filed a lawsuit against the city and spoke out against discrimination when he joined diversity and inclusion task committees established in 2021 by then-Fire Chief Donna Lake.
He further asserted that he was stripped of his duty to coordinate physical tests for KCFD employees. Seals’ grievance was rejected in 2023, months after its submission. His attorneys claim he has since suffered ongoing acts of punishment, retribution, and discrimination.
Gwen Grant, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, said the “ongoing” racial and gender discrimination within the fire department requires DOJ attention.
“I hope they extend their investigation to include all city operations,” Grant said, the Star reported. “Numerous lawsuits and out-of-court settlements indicate that we have a far-reaching problem that will continue as long as (Mayor Quinton) Lucas and Platt are in charge. Federal oversight is our only opportunity for redress.”
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