While John worked at the Fire Department, the city manager decided to combine the Fire Department and the Police Department into a single Public Safety Department with "Public Safety Officers" or "PSOs".
It had never work before in any city across the country, (except small cities starting from scratch,) but he wanted to be the first.
Also, at his previous job, he had been sued by the firemen, and had lost, so it was suspected that he had a grudge against firemen.
Regardless, the Chief of Police "retired" then was rehired as the Chief of Public Safety, so he was drawing retirement and a paycheck at the same time.
And when he retired for good, he was drawing two retirements.
(Which upset the Utah State people running the retirement fund so much they changed the rules to avoid such a thing in the future.)
By Orrilla VanOrman PSO's and firemen did not exactly love each other... even after cross-training for many of them. Your dad refused to cross-train. Told them that if they wanted him in the fire dept. then no x-training or he was through. They finally agreed. He knew that paramedics could help everyone but cops could not.
Also, who wants to wear a gun while trying to help some injured person? The one being "helped" could often grab the gun! Or scream and holler to get the pigs away from him/her so no go either. When the departments were "combined" your dad went to bed for 3 days, wouldn't speak or eat that whole time. I thought it was deep depression and it really scared me, whatever it was. "Combined" police and firemen, all "equal" but the police were more equal than the firemen in every way.
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