Utah Appeals Court Upholds Firing Of Fire Captain Over Urination

OGDEN, UTAH (CN) - The Utah Court of Appeals upheld the firing of Ogden Fire Capt. Daniel Harmon for a pattern of inappropriate behavior "where public urination is the centerpiece." An investigation revealed that, during his 21-year career, Harmon publicly urinated into a drafting pit during a training session, filled an empty bottle of weed-killer with his urine, and peed in a colleague's shower stall.

He also sexually harassed a female subordinate, made lewd references to a zucchini, let male employees imitate sexual intercourse with each other and allowed female entertainers to pose topless with fire department employees at a fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Harmon claimed that most of these incidents were understood as jokes, but the appeals court agreed with the Ogden Civil Service Commission's finding that his behavior was "totally inappropriate and bizarre for anyone in the workplace, let alone a captain who should be an example to subordinates." See ruling in Harmon v. Ogden City Civil Service Commission.

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