Law firm vows to clear names of former chiefs

A Boca Raton law firm is vowing to clear the names of three Palm Beach County Fire Rescue chiefs who left the department amid allegations that they fostered a culture of sexual harassment and a hostile work environment.

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Chief Jeffrey Collins and Deputy Chief Thomas Tolbert resigned their posts last month. Division Chief Chris Hoch was terminated.

In a news conference Thursday, Sarah M. Cabarcas-Osman, an attorney with The Berman Law Group, accused the county of engaging in a “poorly executed civil conspiracy” to purge the department’s leadership based on a “corrupt and biased” human resources investigation.

The law firm has provided notice that it intends to sue the county, said David Ottey, chief assistant county attorney.

Cabarcas-Osman declined to elaborate on her allegations. She said the resignations involved coercion but didn’t offer any evidence to support her assertions.

“We intend to root out the truth through every available remedy,” Cabarcas-Osman said.

County officials, citing the possibility of litigation, have declined to comment. The county has not provided an explanation for Hoch’s firing.

Two employees, Capt. Amanda Vomero and Administration Division Chief Joey Cooper, have filed lawsuits accusing fire rescue administrators of failing to protect employees from harassment.

Vomero’s lawsuit alleges that Hoch taunted her in the office and made inappropriate sexual comments, saying “rumor is that” she was having sex with Cooper, who is her supervisor, and that he was “a little offended” she wouldn’t have sex with him.

Hoch said Vomero liked black men and “that’s why you want to hire all these black guys,” the suit alleges. Hoch has denied wrongdoing.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s investigation was “unable to conclude” violations had occurred but it noted that “does not certify” compliance.

A county human resources investigation determined that “an offensive work environment” existed at fire rescue and “that sexually oriented rumors are commonplace in the department and ranking officers are responsible for circulating such rumors.”

Hoch was given a written reprimand, but a Jan. 5 anonymous letter from the “the women of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue” urged the county to take more serious action.

Michael Mackay is leading the department on an interim basis.

sswisher@sunsentinel.com, 561-243-6634 or @SkylerSwisher