(BLOOMINGTON) – Two probationary Bloomington firefighters were fired and a third was suspended after they were allegedly involved in a fight with another man in downtown Bloomington on July 12, just hours after a ceremony celebrating their fire academy graduation.
About 2 a.m. on July 13, probationary firefighters Dennis Todd, William Garrison and Kody Waggoner were out with friends and family celebrating their graduation.
According to a Bloomington Police Department report, the three got into an altercation at the corner of Kirkwood Avenue and Walnut Street after Todd got into an altercation with a 28-year-old man, who was not with the firefighters. Todd accused the man of making an inappropriate comment toward his wife.
According to police, Todd and the man exchanged words. Todd then put the man in a headlock, threw him to the ground and punched him multiple times in the face. The victim suffered red marks on his neck, facial injuries, and a bloody mouth.
Todd was arrested on a battery charge.
The case never went to court because the victim refused to pursue a criminal case.
Bloomington Fire Department Chief Jason Moore fired Todd and Garrison and Waggoner were suspended without pay for two 24-hour shifts.
Chief Moore says all three men’s conduct was unbecoming of an officer and that conduct was a violation of the department’s standards of respect, integrity, service, and excellence.
