A 14-year-veteran of the Rochester Fire Department has filed notice of intent to sue the department and the city after he was allegedly forced to attend a party last month that featured racist tropes making fun of Juneteenth and at least one local elected official.
Firefighter Jerrod Jones and supporters stood on the steps of City Hall Thursday as Jones said he felt obliged to speak up against what happened to him. Jones says he was working a regular shift on July 7 when his captain, Jeffrey Kryway, brought him and two other firefighters to a party at an East Avenue mansion. Jones says the home was decorated with cutouts of Donald Trump, Juneteenth flags and buckets of fried chicken. Court papers say photos of local Democratic officials were on stakes in the back yard and an exotic dancer impersonated Democratic County Legislator Rachel Barnhart while the crowd made sexually explicit comments.
Jones says he was deeply offended and “it cut me very deeply.” He said the party was hosted by Nicholas Nicosia and Mary Znidarsic-Nicosia.
Jones says he went to his battalion chief the next day and reported what had happened, but was assigned to Captain Kryway again a short time after filing the internal complaint.
A statement from Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez says the allegations are serious, and an internal investigation has been conducted and is now over. He said disciplinary action was taken, but was not specific except to say the supervisor is on suspension.
Rochester Police Chief David Smith issued a statement saying department officials have learned RPD officers may have been at this party, and an internal investigation is underway. He said there will be disciplinary action if this is true.
Mayor Malik Evans said this is a concern for all Rochester, and promised swift action to address it. He said behavior like this is not tolerated in the city.