Firefighters’ union slams members for behaviour
The union representing Regina’s firefighters has cancelled an upcoming golf tournament and called on members to hold themselves to “a much higher standard at all times” in the wake of an alleged drinking and driving incident outside a local bar Tuesday night.
In an email sent the next day and obtained by the Leader-Post, the Regina Professional Fire Fighters Association addressed the incident, which is alleged to have happened at the north Leopold’s Tavern after a golf tournament with members and retirees of the Local 181.
“Many of you have seen the Facebook post about one of our members driving after drinking inside of Leo’s,” the email read. “Also there were direct complaints from Leopolds (sic) staff about our behaviour and how we treated them while there.”
At 9:13 p.m. Tuesday, a Facebook post made by KaSandra Kopytko, who was at Leopold’s that night, praised the staff for asking a group of five or six of the firefighters to leave and alleged one of the group got behind the wheel of a pickup truck.
Regina Police Service spokeswoman Elizabeth Popowich confirmed a call for service came in around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday to the 5600 block of Rochdale Boulevard. The caller reported a group of males who appeared to be intoxicated. According to Popowich, police officers found the vehicle at a separate location nearby and were assured by the males that they would not drive and would find another way home. No charges were laid in connection with the call.
When contacted by the Leader-Post, RPFFA president Kevin Tetlow wrote in an email: “This was an unfortunate incident which we have dealt with and have nothing further to say.” Tetlow denied requests for further comment on the incident and how the association has dealt with it.
According to the email sent to union members, the incident at Leopold’s involved active and retired members. The union’s athletic committee condemned the actions of the firefighters stating, “We need to hold ourselves at a much higher standard at all times as we are always being scrutinized in the public eye.”
“Behaviour by a few has definitely put a bad image of all of us in the public eye,” acknowledged the RPFFA email.
“This is not the first time we have had issues at golf tournaments,” the email continued. “We have not been welcomed back to courses from previous years and are not willing to put our names on these events any longer.”
In her Facebook post that night, Kopytko wrote: “It sickens me to think that the very people who first-handedly respond to some of the most gruesome and terrible accidents can get into a vehicle and drive away, obviously intoxicated.”
In an interview Thursday, Kopytko said she will be filing a formal complaint with the RPFFA.
“How dare they make it look OK. That’s why I’m so upset,” she said. “I’m not doing this to tattle on people. (I’m doing this) to bring awareness that this is not OK by anybody, ever.”
Several calls to speak with management at Leopold’s Tavern were not returned.
For those who need a safe ride home, Leopold’s is partnered with First Choice Designated Driver service.
The service will drive customers home in their own vehicle. The cost is determined by the distance travelled.