Council bill would compel DOI to investigate discrimination in FDNY

Calls for investigating promotional practices

Three City Council members are taking another crack at trying to solve what they say is FDNY’s persistent issue of exclusion of and discrimination against Black and female firefighters by introducing a bill that would expand the Department of Investigation’s oversight of the department. The legislation introduced by Brooklyn Council Member Nantasha Williams in February would require the DOI to investigate the FDNY’s compliance with federal, state and local laws concerning discrimination, harassment and equal employment opportunity. 

DOI would be mandated to specifically investigate how the FDNY awards promotions and special assignments and how it handles discrimination and harassment complaints as well as the retaliation FDNY members face after filing those complaints. These areas remain sore spots for Black and female firefighters said Regina Wilson, a firefighter and the former president of the Vulcan Society, a fraternal organization of Black firefighters.