I’M NO RACIST
Capt. sues in transfer over vile bias at EMS station
A STATEN Island EMS officer transferred from his stationhouse after a scandal erupted involving a noose and a racist, hate-filled letter targeting a black paramedic filed a lawsuit against the FDNY Tuesday to stop the move.
Capt. Vincent Walla said he’s being railroaded as part of the Fire Department’s reaction to the vile note full of ugly slurs allegedly meant to threaten the life of paramedic Keisha Brockington.
Walla, one of several EMS officers pulled from the house, said his unwanted transfer from Station 22 in Staten Island to Division 3 in Brooklyn would unfairly label him a racist.
“My transfer likely will brand me as being involved in the threats and being a racist, subjecting me to humiliation and the appearance that somehow I am a guilty person,” Walla said in court papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court.
The city Law Department said it was reviewing the claims.
The FDNY said no permanent transfers were made.
“Five supervisors were temporarily reassigned due to serious incidents at Station 22 which are currently under investigation by the NYPD,” the agency said.
The scandal, which was exclusively covered by the Daily News, began in August when an EMT assigned to the station discovered a noose hanging in an ambulance.
EMT John Thornton, the son of retired FDNY Battalion Chief Terrance Thornton, fessed up, saying the rope was a prank meant for a colleague — a warning that if the friend didn’t start training for the upcoming firefighter exam he would be stuck in EMS forever, several sources said. After confessing to the noose prank, Thornton sought help from Brockington, who is also a union rep for EMS Local 2507. Brockington referred him to one of her supervisors, she said. Thornton, a new hire still on probation, was suspended for 10 days and had six months added to his probationary period. On Aug. 28, Brockington said she found a vicious note in her locker calling her the N-word and threatening her life. “You stupid n----- better watch your back, talking all this crap,” said the typewritten letter. “You better watch your back when you start your car up. Nothing better than a dead n-----. Trying to get innocent people fired for a funny prank,” it said.
Brockington reported it to her two senior officers — who brought it to the FDNY’s Bureau of Investigation and Trials, which didn’t call police.
The paramedic later went to cops herself and the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force launched an investigation into the incident.
Capt. Walla, was transferred shortly after The News broke the story — even though he left on vacation the day after the noose incident and didn’t return until after Brockington found the note. Four other deputy chiefs and a Division Chief were also transferred.
Vincent Variale, head of the EMS Officers Union Local 3621, said Walla was a scapegoat.
“We filed an injunction to have Capt. Walla remain at Station 22. The truth is, the FDNY botched its own investigation, and is now covering it up by removing these officers, who are all innocent,” said Variale.