Ex-firefighter sues, alleging bias by former chief

Says termination linked to complaints

A former Collierville firefighter has filed a federal lawsuit against the town, alleging he lost his job for raising concerns that then-chief Jerry Crawford discriminated in favor of people with ties to Fayette County, where he has long lived.

William L. Boone filed the suit on March 25. He’s seeking back pay and other money damages, but wrote in the suit that a return to his job isn’t feasible. Reached April 4, Boone said he’d need to check with his attorney before commenting.

Crawford, who now works as Fayette County fire chief, denied that during his time as leader of the Collierville department he discriminated in favor of people from the nearby county. Town Administrator James Lewellen likewise said the suit is not valid.

Boone’s lawsuit says he worked for the town as a firefighter beginning in 1984 and that in 2014, he and other firefighters began to believe that Crawford and others were showing favoritism in personnel and employment decisions toward people who lived in Fayette County. The suit says Boone brought his complaints to aldermen Tom Allen and Billy Patton.

In early 2015, firefighters’ complaints were discussed in public meetings. Allen said more than a dozen firefighters had approached him about low morale in the department. Mayor Stan Joyner said he heard similar complaints.

Boone’s lawsuit says that in March 2015, he was given a letter stating he violated town policies, including “providing false testimony in an official investigation.” He was terminated the same month.

Crawford said an investigation by Collierville disproved the allegation he discriminated in favor of people from Fayette County. The former fire chief said he terminated Boone at the direction of the human resources director, though he didn’t know the specific reason because he was not involved in the investigation.