A Democratic lawmaker from Long Island is calling for charges against a local fire chief who allegedly caused harm to his staff after a dispute over their involvement in a recent ice operation conducted by the fire department.
State Senator Phil Ramos has issued a trespass notice against East Brentwood Fire Chief Bryant Figueroa, meaning Figueroa can’t approach the office without facing arrest. He also filed a lawsuit against volunteer firefighters following a standoff on July 10 that arose from public cooperation issues.
“Figueroa’s actions are a clear breach of New York’s criminal laws,” Ramos stated when announcing the charges against the chief.
“His offensive and unapproved actions created a climate of fear in what should be a secure and respectful workplace,” he elaborated.
A spokesperson for Ramos indicated that even though the charges were relayed to the District Attorney, Figueroa will not be arrested at this juncture; instead, he will receive a court summons.
The District Attorney did not confirm the matter upon request, but Suffolk County Police reported that the charges haven’t been officially filed yet, and investigations into the legislator’s claims are ongoing.
In response to the allegations, Figueroa accused Ramos of misusing his political clout to influence law enforcement to pursue baseless claims.
“Rep. Phil Ramos initiated charges by confronting the New York State Police. After learning that no crime occurred, he then exerted pressure on local precincts, which seems to be an abuse of his authority,” Figueroa stated.
“Such behavior is quite concerning, particularly coming from individuals who have held badges.”
This political conflict intensified in early July when it was revealed that unmarked ice agents and vehicles had been operating in fire station parking lots.
East Brentwood firefighters maintained they had no prior knowledge of the ice operations using their parking facilities, and they mentioned that as a state entity, they cannot prevent federal agencies from utilizing public properties.
Following Ramos’s public reprimand, Figueroa reportedly entered his office displaying visible anger and an intention to create conflict, leading staff members who ignored him to a private meeting, according to lawmakers.
Ramos was not present during this incident, but his team expressed that they felt impacted by Figueroa’s behavior.
On the ground, local firefighters think the ongoing disputes between Ramos and Figueroa should come to an end.
“Honestly, neither party is handling this situation correctly,” one firefighter shared anonymously. “It’s quite immature from both sides,” they added.
