The Johnston firefighter’s lawsuit claims nearly a third of the department engaged in substance abuse on duty, but Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr. calls the allegations fabricated retaliation for a sick time dispute

JOHNSTON, R.I. — Johnston firefighter Edward Spicer filed a lawsuit against the town in Rhode Island Superior Court last week, WPRI reported, alleging a pattern of alcohol and drug use among town firefighters while on duty.

The lawsuit describes a culture of firefighters being repeatedly drunk and high on the job, behavior Spicer alleges was open and notorious to commanding officers.

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WPRI obtained a letter Spicer’s attorneys sent to the town in June that further alleged a broader pattern of misconduct involving substance abuse. The attorneys said nearly a third of the department was involved and pointed to an incident earlier this year in which employees allowed intoxicated women to visit the fire stations and play with fire equipment.

Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr. denied most of the allegations in the lawsuit, saying he had never received any complaint internally or from the community regarding firefighters being intoxicated on the job.

He said his administration investigated the allegations of alcohol and drug abuse, determined they were unfounded, and now believes Spicer fabricated them because he had been called out for abusing paid sick time during snowstorms.

“We called out this individual for an abuse of sick time, and I believe that’s how this all started,” Polisena said. Spicer’s attorney disputed that characterization, telling WPRI her client never abused sick time.

The mayor acknowledged the town has had firefighters with substance abuse problems in the past, but said they were sent to receive treatment. He called those cases isolated incidents and said substance abuse can be found in any profession.

How should a department handle allegations of on-duty impairment, and what keeps a culture like this from taking hold?

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