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SLO firefighter fired despite dodging assault conviction

November 8, 2012

John Ryan Mason

The San Luis Obispo Fire Department fired the fire fighter who recently escaped a felony assault conviction for his role in a bar bathroom brawl.

John Ryan Mason, a fire engineer and paramedic, faced charges of felony assault with great bodily injury and battery with serious bodily injury following his alleged beating of Jory Brigham in the bathroom of Pappy McGregor’s Bar & Grill after a wedding. Mason’s trial concluded with a hung jury leaning eight to four in his favor, and the District Attorney’s Office chose not to retry the case.

The fire department placed Mason on unpaid administrative leave in April, yet City Manager Katie Lichtig recently named him as a nominee for city employee of the year.

But, several members of the city council told CalCoastNews that Mason’s behavioral pattern did not match the ethical code of a San Luis Obispo firefighter and that they were in favor of his termination. The fire department’s code of ethics mandates that firefighters “accept this responsibility of public trust both on and off duty.”

The power to fire Mason rested in the hands of Fire Chief Charlie Hines. Mason has 15 day to file an appeal.


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Just like SLO to let him off and not pursue another trial. Maybe he will eventually step on his face and slip on the blood. Hope not but it could happen.


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QUOTING THE ARTICLE: “But, several members of the city council told CalCoastNews that Mason’s behavioral pattern did not match the ethical code of a San Luis Obispo firefighter and that they were in favor of his termination. The fire department’s code of ethics mandates that firefighters ‘accept this responsibility of public trust both on and off duty.’ “


THANK YOU, CCN, for this quote regarding the FD’s code of ethics mandates. I’ve said all along that first responders’ job requirements holds them at a higher standard of behavior, even when they are not clocked in on the job.


Beating down a civilian to the point where the civilian had multiple facial fractures requiring multiple plate-and-screw fixation devices to stabilize his facial structure–and then running away (without providing any kind of first-aid care and/or notification of other first responders of a person in need of help) so he wouldn’t get caught–certainly is a low-life level of behavior. It also makes the rest of the FD first responders look bad just by the SLOCity FD continuing to employ and support Mason.


I am very, very glad that SLO City finally did the right thing and cut Mason loose. The amount of liability that employing a violent, cowardly thug like Mason brings with it is certainly not worth any benefit the City and its taxpayers receive from employing Mason.


Any theories about why they fired Mason on election day, and what message this sends to the SLO-City residents?


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City Employee of The Year? Now that you figured that one out, how about firing some more gravy trainers like that guy who sells city surplus equipment? Dosen’t that go against what the city is trying to project as a perfect employee? Oh, and lets not forget that sewer guy that dumped all that illegal paint and stuff to. I think you need to do a little deeper house cleaning. Come on Katie, you can do it.


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Firing a guy with a spotless record? Crazy……


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Especially when he loses his ass in the civil suit, and will be stuck with no way to pay the judgement.


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Too bad Slojo, you lost a co-worker. You’ll get over it. You’re a fireman damnit! Suck it up and go sit thru a shift. Poor babies.


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THANK YOU, SuperDave.


I’m beginning to wonder how the Fire Chief ever gets anything done, if his first responders expect him to baby them and put widdle band-aids on their boo-boos.


Sheesh.


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Sorry to disappoint you SuperDave….I’m not a fireman.


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Good for the SLO Fire Dept. Now if only the powers-that-be in Paso Robles would have ended the Lisa Solomon debacle in the same way instead of sending her out the door by gifting her $250,000+ of our money. I’m glad to see that the SLO Fire Dept. upholds honorable values & that they based their decision on those.


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Didn’t Mrs. Chittygate have a previously negotiated contract w/the city? Similar to the one City Czar Jim App has–that if he leaves his job for any reason–fired, quits, resigns, retires, whatever–that he also gets about a quarter of million bucks… Of course the Bald Phat Guy won’t file a bogus workers comp claim like Lisa Chitty did but regardless, Paso residents should be outraged at how much the city administrators are making in salary, benefits, and exit contracts…


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Well glad to see that someone was thinking about the fact how wrong this whole thing sounded. Now hopefully he will relocate else where to get a job and we can be done with this A-hole!!


As for Katie, well as we have all said here she is WAY overpaid. This is just another example. Her and App up here in Paso have a lot in common. Both are clueless overpaid IDIOTS!!!


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Doesn’t it go to show us what exactlly the SLO city manager think it takes to be “Employee of the Year”?, make us wonder what she think it would take to be “Employee of the Decade” or ” Century”


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This FOOL is NOT ready to pursue another job/profession…He has serious MENTAL ISSUES such as anger management, substance abuse, etc. (just to name a couple) and he needs to get into a REHAB/TREATMENT PROGRAM before he can even THINK OF FUTURE EMPLOYMENT ANYWHERE…


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Katie thought he had employee-of-the-year potential. Why doesn’t she hire him?


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Good.


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Katie loves a fighter

They would make a nice couple, there is money and there is power

I bet if Katie told Mason to jump, he would say how high (unquestioned)?


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Naww, Katie is a top (no not that top) and Ryan obviously does not take instruction well so it would have ended in chaos (or will).


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A top? Yes I suppose I could see how that would harness</I) her passion…


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City Employee of The Year?????!!!!????


Really Katie? This is hilarious- and pretty offensive to the City Employees who don’t leave a man with a busted face in a bar bathroom.


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