ST. PETERSBURG — A third-party management evaluation of St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Department found that it could treat women and minorities better, hire a more diverse workforce and ensure promotions are accessible to everyone — concerns previously reported by the Tampa Bay Times about former Fire Chief James Large’s leadership.
City Council members requested the study in 2023 after comments from an anonymous city employee survey accused Large of creating a hostile work environment for women and minority employees. Seven active firefighters told the Times Large made made sexist, racist and homophobic remarks, acted inappropriately toward women and did not take seriously minority recruitment and promotion efforts or concerns of Black firefighters. One woman alleged she was mistreated by Large after suffering a miscarriage.
Council members received a presentation on the evaluation results Thursday from Matrix Consulting Group and new Fire Chief Keith Watts, who said the findings gave him a roadmap for improving workplace conditions. He is looking at a restructuring and reorganization of the department…