ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — WFTV found out an Orange County Fire Rescue Division Chief was suspended by the department on accusations that he violated county policy.
An investigative report claimed Henry Preston threatened, intimidated, discriminated against and retaliated against a black employee, Stephanie Carter, who was a lieutenant at the time, during a meeting.
Carter claimed Preston was upset that she represented a white firefighter during a grievance meeting in 2013.
Preston allegedly said that Carter should not ever represent or side with any white employee against her African-American colleagues, regardless of the issue or facts.
Paperwork said Carter’s attorney never allowed her to speak to the office of professional standards, which investigated the complaint.
Preston gave his version of the meetings, saying, “Carter’s allegations were incredulous, duplicitous, a lie, untrue and deeply painful.”
Preston described the meeting as a mentoring session because he believed she exhibited behavior that could hamper Carter’s advancement within the department.
The discrimination allegations were found to be untrue, but Preston was suspended for 24 hours without pay.
A letter from the department chief said Preston violated the code of conduct regarding productive work environment and standards.
The letter also said Preston must take a professional development class.
Preston emailed WFTV a rebuttal letter that outlined how the complainant was never interviewed, she desired to leave the department and he called the investigative tactics ‘questionable.’
He said he never discriminated and never urged anyone else to discriminate.
Carter resigned from her county position in January.