Former Nampa Deputy Chief Files Wrongful Termination Suit Against City of Nampa

NAMPA -- A former deputy chief with the Nampa Fire Department is suing the city, saying he was fired for trying to keep citizens safe.

For the first time since he was terminated back in May, Doug Strosnider is speaking publicly about why he says he was targeted.

KTVB obtained a copy of the 27-page lawsuit filed against the city, Mayor Bob Henry and Fire Chief Karl Malott.

The lawsuit spells out some pretty serious allegations against the mayor and fire chief.

In it Strosnider says because he pushed for safer fire regulations in two apartment buildings, he was suddenly fired after decades with the department.

"I'm not worried about a building, I care about the people inside the building, that's what matters," said Strosnider.

Strosnider says for 22 years he tried to keep Nampa families safe as a deputy chief and fire marshal. But he says everything suddenly changed this spring when he was working on bringing two apartment buildings up to code.

"They allowed their systems they had there to fall under disrepair, they're required to be taken care of and maintained and none of that was being done," said Strosnider.

One of the buildings was the Golden Glow Towers where Strosnider says there was no sprinkler system or adequate fire alarm in the case of an emergency. He worried about those living inside, especially the older or handicapped.

"Our job, our responsibility is to protect the public we serve, we're here to serve the people, and in my mind our service belongs to every person in those buildings, somebody's mom, aunt, sister, uncle, they're humans," said Strosnider.

But when Strosnider shared his plans to serve notice orders to get the buildings up to code, he felt resistance from then newly-elected Mayor Bob Henry.

"He expressed his displeasure, I knew he didn't want that to happen, and obviously said is there something these people can do, a waiver that acknowledges that they're in a building that is not compliant," said Strosnider.

Strosnider said when concerns were expressed that those living inside the building couldn't get out on their own, the complex said they didn't allow those type of people, with disabilities or handicaps, to live there, which caused Strosnider to contact the Fair Housing Agency.

He says within a few weeks, he was suspended.

"Flabbergasted, 22 years with the department, clean record, no blemishes, you know very committed to the community, that apartment, I was completely shocked and caught off guard, I had no idea," said Strosnider.

Shortly after, in May, he was fired and has been trying ever since to get his job back and get answers as to why he was let go.

"There's a lot of stuff being covered up, and again I think one of the big things for me is when the truth gets out and that's really exposed, I'm going to be grateful for that," said Strosnider.

As for the apartment buildings, Strosnider says his notice order to bring safety regulations up to code was taken back and as for as he knows, no action has been taken to improve those emergency systems.