Three St. Lucie County, Florida, firefighters were terminated, and two others suspended after an independent investigation determined the senior firefighters used a modified bug zapper to administer electric shocks to newer employees in what investigators described as hazing.

Investigation Details

The investigation found that the terminated firefighters, Jordon Hutchinson, Christopher Baldwin, and Douglas Boudrias, were acting supervisors at various points when they subjected junior district employees to the device. They are also accused of bullying and harassment.

The firefighters involved were members of Station 1A, located in Fort Pierce. The district headquarters are in Port St. Lucie. The investigation was conducted after multiple video recordings depicting severe workplace misconduct inside a station were received by the Fire District Administration in March.

The videos and photographic evidence revealed that senior personnel had engineered a custom-modified electrical shocking device, constructed from a dismantled bug zapper, to intentionally administer painful electrical shocks to subordinate personnel on duty.

Disciplinary Actions

Roberto ‘Rocky’ Tapia and Kayla Gammie received 48-hour unpaid suspensions. The district’s recent actions mark the first and only disciplinary measures ever rendered regarding these specific offenses.

The Fire District’s paramount mission is public safety and the protection of its personnel. The extreme liability, safety breaches, and disregard for zero-tolerance department regulations introduced by these actions cannot and will not be tolerated.

Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.