Davis v. City of Memphis Fire Department

940 F. Supp. 2d 786, 2013 WL 1641147, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 54116
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Tennessee
DecidedApril 16, 2013
DocketNo. 11-3076-STA-cgc
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 940 F. Supp. 2d 786 (Davis v. City of Memphis Fire Department) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Davis v. City of Memphis Fire Department, 940 F. Supp. 2d 786, 2013 WL 1641147, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 54116 (W.D. Tenn. 2013).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO DISMISS

S. THOMAS ANDERSON, District Judge.

Before the Court is Defendant City of Memphis’ (“Memphis”) Motion for Summary Judgment and Motion to Dismiss (D.E. # 132) filed March 22, 2013.1 Davis filed a Response (D.E. # 135) on April 8, 2013, and filed an amendment to this Response (D.E. # 140) on April 10, 2013. For the reasons given below, the Court hereby GRANTS Memphis’ Motion for Summary Judgment and GRANTS IN PART and DENIES IN PART Memphis’ Motion to Dismiss.

BACKGROUND

For purposes of Memphis’ Motion for Summary Judgment, the Court accepts the following as established.2 Memphis employed Davis as a firefighter from April 28, 1989 until May 7, 2012. (Def.’s Stat. Facts ¶ 1, D.E. # 132-1.) During his employment with Memphis, Davis and other firefighters formed a chapter of the Interna[791]*791tional Association of Black Professional Firefighters (“IABPFF”). (Id. ¶2.) IABPFF is not a division, department, or branch of the City of Memphis. (Id. ¶ 5) The membership of the local IABPFF either elected or appointed Defendant Sandra Richards (“Richards”). (Id. ¶ 3.) Richards later resigned her presidency, and Davis requested an audit of IABPFF’s financial records. (Id. ¶ 4.) Richards then appeared on television and made accusations against Davis. (Id. ¶ 6.) Ulysses Jones, Jr. (“Jones”) informed Lieutenant William Ratcliff (“Ratcliff’) that if Davis did not back away from his investigation of Richards, Jones would have Davis arrested. (Ratcliff Aff. ¶ 6, D.E. #141-13.) Davis filed a complaint with Memphis regarding this threat. (Id. ¶ 8.)

On September 10, 2010, Division Chief Gina Sweat (“Sweat”) requested a check of available lockers and beds at Fire Station 6 to accommodate new personnel. (Sweat Decl. ¶ 5, D.E. # 132-2.) Lieutenant Craig Eddins (“Eddins”) conducted a search of unsecured and unmarked lockers in the locker room.3 (Id. ¶ 6.) During this search, Eddins opened an unmarked and unlocked locker containing various items belonging to Davis, including a box of ammunition. (Def.’s Stat. Facts ¶¶ 11, 12 14; Sweat Decl. ¶¶ 14,15.)4 Richards contacted Division Chief Henry Posey (“Posey”) regarding the box of ammunition. (Defi’s Stat. Facts ¶ 12.) Posey and Richards inspected the locker, and Posey directed Ed-dins to contact Davis and instruct Davis to remove the contents of the locker. (Id. ¶ 12.) Eddins did so, and Davis came to the station and removed the box of ammunition. (Id. ¶¶ 13-14.) Posey informed Davis that having a box of ammunition in his locker was not a violation of Memphis Fire Department policy. (Davis Aff. ¶ 31, D.E. # 135-1.)

On November 1, 2010, Davis filed a complaint with Hubbard and Posey, alleging Richards conducted an illegal search of Davis’ locker. (Def.’s Stat. Facts ¶ 19.) Posey and Hubbard met with Davis on November 1, 2010 to discuss the situation. (Id. ¶ 20.) Division Chief Daryl Payton then took over the investigation of Davis’ complaints. (Id. ¶22.)

On December 23, 2010, Eddins engaged in a discussion with Davis.5 (Id. ¶ 25.) During this discussion, Eddins used profane language. (Davis Aff. ¶ 41.) Following this discussion, Davis contacted Richards to report an altercation and file a complaint. (Def.’s Stat. Facts. ¶ 27-28.) On January 19, 2011, Davis complained about Eddins’ behavior once again, this time to Hubbard. (Sweat Decl. ¶ 33.) Hubbard met with Davis regarding his complaints on January 21, 2011. (Id. ¶ 30.)

Ray Tate, the head of security at Owens Corning telephoned Sweat on February 7, 2011, complaining about Davis’ conduct when responding to alarm calls at Owens Coming’s physical plant.6 (Sweat Decl. [792]*792¶ 33.) As a result of this complaint, Posey requested a mandatory employee referral for Davis.7 (Id. ¶ 34.) During the investigation of this referral, Davis admitted he left his truck and men unattended while at the Owens Corning plant. (Def.’s Stat. Facts ¶ 41.) Davis received an oral reprimand for leaving his men on the fire truck. (Davis. Aff. ¶ 49.)

On February 17, 2011, because of Davis’ ongoing problems at Fire Station 6, Memphis decided to temporarily assign Davis to Fire Station 42. (Sweat Deck ¶ 40; Information Bulletin, D.E. # 141-4.) At the same time, the City reassigned Hagan Hardwick (“Hardwick”), a white male, to Fire Station 6. (Sweat Deck ¶ 43; Information Bulletin.)

Fire Station 42 had an open Lieutenant position available for bid. (Def.’s Stat. Facts ¶ 51.) Davis did not submit a bid for this position. (Sweat Deck ¶ 47.) Had Davis bid for this position, he would have received this permanent posting to Fire Station 42. (Id. ¶ 49). Because Davis did not bid on the open position at Fire Station 42, Memphis reassigned Davis to Fire Station 33. (Id. ¶ 48.) Memphis did not allow Davis to return to his prior post at Fire Station 6 after his temporary assignment at Fire Station 42 ended, although the Memorandum of Understanding between the firefighters’ union and Memphis required they do so. (Davis Aff. ¶ 55; Mem. of Understanding, D.E. # 138-1 at 2.)

Davis’ assignment to Fire Station 33 required he obtain certain certifications, which he did not obtain. (Sweat Deck ¶ 51.) Davis complained to command staff regarding his concerns for public safety due to his and other firefighters at Fire Station 33 lack of necessary certification and training. (Davis Aff. ¶ 59; E-mail to Tucker, D.E. # 141-6.) In particular, Davis discovered he needed an AOA level badge to be on airport property and needed specialized training to fight fires at the airport under FAA regulations, and that neither he nor his crew had such a badge or training. (Davis Aff. ¶¶ 56-57.) Davis attempted to train himself by reading manuals and speaking with Lieutenant Eddie Ewing. (Id. ¶ 63; Ewing Aff. ¶¶ 4-5, D.E. # 141-25)

On May 31, 2011, Memphis moved Davis to a temporary assignment at Fire Station 45.8 (Third Am. Compl. ¶ 49; D.E. # 47.) That same day, Davis requested a meeting with Air Rescue Chief Jimmie Tucker (“Tucker”), Chief Lewis (“Lewis”), and Payton. (Def.’s Stat. Fact ¶ 61.)

On June 3, 2011, Division Chief of Special Operations Carlos Newsom (“Newsom”) met with Davis at Fire Station 45 and discussed Davis’ temporary assignments and Davis’ concerns regarding safety at Fire Station 33. (Davis Aff. ¶ 69.) At Davis’ request, Private Mike Echols (“Echols”) was also present at this meeting. (Def.’s Stat. Fact ¶ 63.) On June 3, [793]*7932011, Sweat e-mailed Davis to inform him Payton would meet with Davis on either June 3 or June 5, 2011. (Id. ¶ 64.) Payton went to Fire Station 45 on June 5, 2011 to meet with Davis.9 (Def.’s Stat. Fact ¶ 65.) Davis asked that Echols sit in on this meeting as well. (Id. ¶ 66.) During this meeting, Payton used profanity towards Davis, which upset Davis to the point where Davis decided he needed to remove himself from duty status. (Third Am. Compl. ¶¶ 63-65.) Davis attempted to use the fire station telephone to remove himself from duty, only to have Payton hang the phone up three times. (Davis to Cooper E-mail at 2, D.E.

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940 F. Supp. 2d 786, 2013 WL 1641147, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 54116, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/davis-v-city-of-memphis-fire-department-tnwd-2013.