A Colorado firefighter has filed suit against the Platteville-Gilcrest Fire Protection District, Fire Chief Daniel J. Durkee, the Town of Platteville, and the Town of Gilcrest, alleging that he was terminated after repeatedly raising concerns about firefighter training, public safety, nepotism, discrimination, and payroll practices. The case was originally filed in Weld County District Court and was later removed to the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado after the plaintiff amended his complaint to include federal claims.  

According to the First Amended Complaint, Lieutenant Christopher M. Kennison was hired by the Platteville-Gilcrest Fire Protection District in February, 2019. He alleges he brought 26 years of fire service experience to the department, including 18 years as a career firefighter with the Brighton Fire Department. During his tenure with the district, he received the Chief’s Merit Award, a Company Citation for a carbon monoxide rescue, and promotions to Engineer and later to Lieutenant.  

Kennison alleges that throughout his employment he repeatedly raised concerns about issues affecting firefighter and public safety. Among the concerns identified in the complaint were inadequate firefighter training, the placement of unqualified personnel into operational positions, mandatory overtime holdovers following 48-hour shifts to conduct training, unsafe evaluation practices, alleged nepotism involving promotional decisions, disparate treatment of the district’s only African American firefighter, compensation issues affecting recruitment and retention, and concerns over the district’s billing practices for federally funded wildland deployments.  

The complaint alleges that after raising those concerns, Kennison was subjected to a pattern of retaliation. He claims that in 2021 he was placed on administrative leave, investigated by Deputy Chief Andy Wazny, demoted from Lieutenant to Firefighter, and required to read a written apology before his shift after completing a performance improvement plan. He alleges he later regained his rank through promotions to Engineer and Lieutenant.  

Kennison further alleges that in 2024 and early 2025 he continued raising concerns regarding promotional practices and perceived nepotism involving Captain Benjamin Krapes, who the complaint identifies as Fire Chief Durkee’s prospective son-in-law. Within days of those complaints, he alleges he was placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation. The complaint contends that the investigation lacked independence because Fire Chief Durkee remained involved in the process. Operations Chief Daniel Bass allegedly recommended termination on March 21, 2025, and Fire Chief Durkee issued a final determination upholding the termination on April 3, with Kennison’s employment ending effective April 7, 2025.  

The complaint alleges that the stated basis for the termination was pretextual. According to the pleading, the district cited Kennison’s alleged dissemination of information regarding Deputy Chief Wazny. Kennison contends the information was already widely known within the department, had not been designated confidential, and that similarly situated employees allegedly committed more serious policy violations without comparable discipline.  

Lt. Kennison also alleges that after he was placed on administrative leave, Operations Chief Bass distributed a department-wide email directing employees not to contact him while on duty, and refrain from discussing this matter with him while off-duty.

The complaint further alleges that co-workers were directed to pack his personal belongings, including bedding, food, laundry, and family photographs, and that he later received an automated scheduling notification informing him he had been removed from his crew assignments.  

In addition to the retaliation allegations, Kennison claims the district violated Colorado wage laws by failing to timely pay his final wages, paying accrued paid time off using an improperly reduced hourly rate after changing payroll systems, failing to provide legally required meal and rest periods during approximately 746 twenty-four-hour shifts, and providing COBRA continuation coverage notice only one day before his health insurance expired.  

The amended complaint asserts claims under numerous state and federal laws, including Colorado’s Public Health Emergency Whistleblower Law, the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act for age discrimination and retaliation, the Colorado Wage Claim Act, the Colorado Firefighter Workplace Bill of Rights, the False Claims Act’s anti-retaliation provision, the Public Health Service Act relating to continuation coverage, 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for alleged First Amendment retaliation and free-association violations, and Colorado common-law claims for wrongful discharge in violation of public policy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The amended complaint also adds Fire Chief Durkee, in his individual capacity, along with the Towns of Platteville and Gilcrest, as defendants.  

After the amended complaint added federal causes of action, the Platteville-Gilcrest Fire Protection District and Fire Chief Durkee removed the case to the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, asserting that the complaint presented both federal and state law claims, including claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the False Claims Act, and the Public Health Service Act.  

Here is a copy of the removal documentation that includes the original compliant and an amended complaint.