The St. Petersburg fire chief has been reinstated after allegations he created a hostile work environment.
Mayor Ken Welch said Wednesday that Jim Large is returning to his post after being placed on paid administrative leave on Aug. 5.
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Welch made the announcement Wednesday following an investigation after Large was accused of creating a hostile work environment for women and employees.
In a video address Wednesday, Welch said he conducted a “careful review” of the allegations along with members of his executive leadership team.
Welch also said he conducted “personal interviews” with members of the fire department and studied the results of an anonymous survey to get what he called “unfiltered feedback from employees in a safe environment so we can become better, a fairer and more inclusive organization.”
In the release, Welch said there was no credible evidence Large violated city policy.
“No one had any first-hand information or evidence of racial, homophobic or sexist comments from the chief,” Welch said. “Even those few who supported a change in leadership had no direct knowledge or evidence of such statements by the chief executive.”
Welch also cited testimony from “firefighters from diverse backgrounds” following reports of “allegations of harassment and intimidation in recent media coverage.” This included a report that Large fired a firefighter after he was accused of showing a racially offensive meme to a black firefighter.
Welch said no formal complaints have been filed against Large.
“Our review of city records shows that only one employee complaint has been filed with the Human Resources Department against Chief Large during his 17-year tenure as chief and his 49 years of service with the department. This particular complaint was determined to be unfounded.’
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch
Welch supported Large’s denial of the allegations.
“Our review of city records shows that only one employee complaint was filed with the human resources department against Chief Large during his 17-year tenure as chief and his 49 years of service with the department,” Welch said. “This particular complaint was determined to be without merit.”
During the cultural surveys, Welch said, there were comments that there was a “lack of diversity and promotions in the department, especially for African-Americans and women.”
As part of his ongoing efforts to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion in the city, Welch said he will work with Large to address those findings.
“This is a concern I share and have discussed with Chief Large during my transition to the mayor’s office,” Welch said. “And subsequently, it’s important to note that there is a shift in hiring.”
Welch pointed to the increased recruitment and hiring of black and female firefighters.
“Our improvement in hiring diversity shows how we can make progress on a challenging issue,” Welch said. “Advancement opportunities and leadership diversity are a constant challenge and will be a constant area of priority and focus for the fire department going forward.”