By AP
Tulsa, OK – Tulsa fire chief reprimanded, but returns to work
TULSA, Okla. (AP) The Tulsa Fire Department chief has been reprimanded but will keep his job following an investigation into whether the son of the mayor's chief of staff received preferential treatment while trying to test for the firefighter academy.
Mayor Dewey Bartlett announced Friday an external committee found that Allen LaCroix hadn't gone beyond the authority of his position. LaCroix has returned to work.
Bartlett's announcement came a day after his chief of staff, Terry Simonson, submitted his letter of resignation. In it, Simonson didn't acknowledge any wrongdoing, but wrote that what began as a desire to help his son, Ryan, become a firefighter turned into a distraction for Bartlett.
Simonson and LaCroix were placed on paid administrative leave after the accusations arose.
Simonson's son has since withdrawn from the firefighter-applicant process.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.