WTC FIREFIGHTERS - Charges dropped

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Herald-Sun

Charges Dropped Against Firefighters By KATHERINE ROTH : Associated Press Writer Nov 3, 2001 : 6:13 pm ET

NEW YORK (AP) -- The most serious criminal charges were dropped Saturday against firefighters accused of tangling with police during an angry demonstration against changes in the recovery effort at the World Trade Center site.

Friday's protest underscored the raw emotions of firefighters, hailed by the nation as heroes since Sept. 11. The rally protested a change in city policy that limits the number of Fire Department members who can work at "ground zero" in efforts to recover the remains of people killed in the collapse of the twin towers.

"For us, it's a matter of honor and dignity. As a marine I learned you don't leave your fallen heroes on the battlefield," said Pat Banken, a union leader.

The new policy restricts the number of firefighters and police officers at the scene to 25 from each department. At times, the number has been as large as 150.

City officials said there were safety and health hazards in having large numbers of firefighters searching through rubble in the midst of cranes and excavation equipment.

The policy, which took effect on Tuesday, also takes sole control of the site out of the hands of the Fire Department. Instead, the site is now jointly overseen by the fire and police departments and the city Department of Design and Construction.

Firefighters fear the new policy will turn the recovery effort into a "full-time construction scoop and dump operation."

"You wouldn't excavate a cemetery or sacred burial ground like that," said Peter Gorman, president of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association. "Why would you do that with thousands of citizens of this country buried down there?"

Thousands of firefighters have spent time at the site working to recover remains from the still-burning mountain of steel and concrete.

More than 200 of their comrades, along with thousands of civilians and other uniformed officers, are still buried in the rubble. City officials put the total number of missing at 3,897.

"We realize that this is an emotional issue for firefighters and their families," fire department spokesman Frank Gribbon said. "We will continue to search for missing firefighters, police and civilians. We will continue to remove any bodies recovered in a respectful and dignified manner."

Ten of the 12 firefighters arrested during Friday's melee were arraigned Saturday morning. Felony charges, including incitement to riot, were dropped, according to Steven Rabinowitz, a union attorney. Remaining charges include criminal trespassing and obstructing governmental administration, he said.

The district attorney's office declined to prosecute two others arrested Friday, including Fire Marshal Martin McHale whom union officials said was suspended following the rally.

"Lawyers review every single case based on the evidence at the time. It's not unusual between the police charges and the (DA's) charges for there to be changes," said Barbara Thompson, a spokeswoman for the district attorney.

Lt. Jack Ginty, vice president of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association, said rank-and-file police were pressured into making the arrests by their commanders.

"We did absolutely nothing wrong -- absolutely, unequivocally nothing," said Ginty, who is among those charged.

Five police officers were injured during Friday's protest. Fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen later apologized to the injured officers on behalf of the fire department.

The rally brought to the surface firefighters' long-simmering dissatisfaction with Von Essen. As their rally reached the gates of City Hall on Friday, firefighters called for his resignation, chanting "Tommy must go!" And at a benefit concert two weeks ago, firefighters booed Von Essen when he came on stage.

Two firefighting unions gave Von Essen a vote of no-confidence in April. The unions say Von Essen has not stuck up for the rank-and-file.

"People are very upset, they're very distraught. ... Maybe these are not the people who have the ability to detach themselves from the situation," Von Essen, a firefighter for more than 20 years and a former union president, said Friday. He did not address calls for his resignation.

-- Anonymous, November 04, 2001


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