New Bedford deputy fire chief terminated following videos questioning his out-injured status

NEW BEDFORD — A video showing New Bedford Deputy Fire Chief Paul Coderre Jr. doing some heavy lifting while out injured has resulted in his termination.

Coderre was fired by Mayor Jon Mitchell on Tuesday based on “dishonesty and untruthfulness in connection with alleged work-related injuries.”

The Mitchell administration made the announcement in a press release to the media late Tuesday afternoon.

The announcement, complete with three surveillance videos of Coderre, was also posted on the New Bedford official city website.

“The former Acting Chief failed to adhere to the policies and procedures of his own Department, in doing so he betrayed the trust of the firefighters that served under his command, and he took advantage of city taxpayers who paid his injured-on-duty benefits," Mitchell said in his press release. “New Bedford residents expect and deserve a Fire Department whose every member adheres to the highest professional standards, regardless of rank.”

In the fall of 2021, Coderre was ordered by the city to undergo an independent medical examination to determine his continued eligibility for injured-on-duty benefits.

Little did Coderre know that someone from the city’s personnel office had been secretly shooting video of him over the summer — one video showed him unloading a heavy box containing smoker grill from the back of his pickup truck by himself.

“The independent medical examiner initially accepted Coderre’s account of the limitations caused by his alleged injuries,” the news release said.

However, the medical doctor, when presented with the surveillance videos of Coderre, reversed the initial medical opinion, and concluded that Coderre had been “untruthful” and “putting on an act.”

Armed with the videos and the medical doctor’s amended report, Mitchell appointed Gerard Hayes, a retired municipal human resource professional, to find out if the city had just cause to discipline Coderre under Massachusetts Civil Service law.

Hayes held a hearing a few weeks ago on Jan. 13. Coderre and his attorney were no-shows at the hearing.

“Coderre’s actions reflect discredit, not credit, on the Fire Department and likely will adversely impact good order inside the department,” Hayes wrote in his report to city officials. “He engaged in an activity that is detrimental to the Fire Department. He engaged in conflict of interest to use his position for personal gain. He abused the department injury leave policy.”

New fire chief named: Scott Kruger appointed as chief of the New Bedford Fire Department

Hayes went on to report that someone in the fire department probably became suspicious and tipped city officials off that Coderre’s injury status should be evaluated, noting, “It is probable that these actions were known within the typically tight knit firefighter community...”

Asked to comment on the allegations about Coderre, Billy Silva, president of the New Bedford firefighter's union, said by email that while the positions of chief and deputy chief are management, “Local 841 condemns these actions if true” and that further information is needed before the union has any additional comment.

New Bedford committee: City and school workers should at least make state minimum wage

It’s not known who exactly tipped off city officials about Coderre’s possible faking of his inability to work status, however Michael Lawrence, city spokesperson, said officials were made aware of a Facebook post showing Coderre in Florida. While traveling is not damaging evidence in and of itself, Lawrence said, the post led to a phone conversation with the city personnel office, which then led to an investigation.

Coderre received $208,574 in tax free, injured-on-duty benefits while he was on injury leave during the 16-month period from August 2020 through the end of 2021. His annual salary as acting chief was approximately $150,000.

Lawrence said the city is sending an inquiry to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas A. Quinn III to see if the city has any recourse in recouping any of the funds Coderre received under alleged false pretenses.

Coderre served as the city’s deputy fire chief from 2011 to 2018. He was appointed acting fire chief in December 2018 upon the retirement of Chief Michael Gomes. Coderre was recently returned to the status of deputy chief when Fire Chief Scott Kruger was promoted to chief earlier in January.

A call to Coderre's attorney, James Quirk, for comment was not immediately returned.

Standard-Times digital producer Linda Roy can be reached at mailto:lroy@s-t.com You can follow her on Twitter at @LindaRoy_SCT. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford deputy fire chief Paul Coderre fired amid injury dispute