Lawlessness in the City of Wilmington Starts at the Top
The News Journal published a remarkable story yesterday, detailing the escapades of a Wilmington Fire Marshal who was supposedly performing a residency investigation. Some quick background, new hires with the City of Wilmington are expected to establish residency in the city within six months of hire and then are expected to live in the city for 5 years. There’s a Residency Review Board that is supposed to review challenges of non-compliance. But here we find that somehow a WFD Fire Marshal is clumsily investigating WFD employees:
A Wilmington Fire Marshal inspector conducting residency investigations outside the city was questioned by two different police agencies last week, including one in Pennsylvania. In one instance, he pulled a gun on a man who said he photographed the inspector coming out of neighbors’ backyards.
No charges were brought against Thomas L. Ruger Jr., but the incidents raise questions about who is authorized to perform residency inquiries.
It is simply impossible to me that there are no charges against this guy, who was pretty clearly impersonating a police officer — an impersonator who decided to slap the cellphone out of the hands of a citizen doing nothing other than recording a suspicious incident and then pulled a gun on that citizen. This is simply and completely unacceptable. And certainly since it pretty clearly looks like someone was trying to catch out someone newly elected to the Firefighter’s union board — a union that the Fire Chief is publicly fighting with via Twitter (of all places).
Who among us would be able to trespass and impersonate a police officer and walk away without any charges?
I’m starting to think that the lawlessness in Wilmington is in part due to the fact that its leadership can’t bother to model better behavior. Why follow the law when the city’s leadership certainly doesn’t have to? And they get to try to terrorize their own employees with impunity. I would guess that the families subject to this bullshit will sue the city — even though this current administration learns no lessons from lawsuits.
In 2012, the WFD was all in for Williams for Mayor. Wonder what they think about that choice now?
Tags: Featured, Mayor Dennis Williams, Wilmington Fire Department, Wilmington Mayoral Election 2016
Wow!!!
There should be an independent AG investigation of this incident…. Smells bad.
Looks like paybacks from fire chief. Not right!
“Who among us would be able to trespass and impersonate a police officer and walk away without any charges?”
No one. And slap a cell phone out of someone’s hand AND pull a gun? I know where I’d like to start cracking down on crime.
The Fire Chief’s Twitter feed has much in common with Williams’ FB page. These guys are complete embarrassments. Both need to go. Now.
Gun control starts with police control, and we have no control over our police.
We have suspected such behavior and worse for some time. In this instance someone is caught in the act, and still it appears there will be no repercussions. And we wonder why public safety remains the #1 problem voiced by citizens, visitors (non-visitors) and businesses.
Speaking of lawlessness, or at least lack of accountability, any word yet from Matt Denn’s office on the shooting of the man in the wheelchair? Anyone? Bueller? We’re on the Tamir Rice timeline here.
we have no control over our police.
Or of the WFD, which is the home of the miscreants here.
I should have added, “or our fake police.”
We’re still waiting for the results of the state police investigation of the Nov. 2010 Taser death of Eugene Lamott Allen.
This is not just a city problem, it is a statewide problem. Try standing up to the “leaders” in this state and wait for the backlash. It’s harsh. These buffoons in the City just aren’t as slick about it as they are at the State level. And let’s not even talk about County.
This should be a wakeup call to folks at the state level that the effects of the Williams style of governing are now being felt beyond the City’s borders. Now ordinary citizens with nothing whatsoever to do with the issues or people involved are getting assaulted by goons. May be time to yank that charter.
PS this doesn’t change the overall point, but if the guy was a fire inspector, he likely completed the police academy and is a certified police officer, with all the rights and privileges, in addition to being a firefighter. Whatever other problems there are with this scenario, impersonating a police officer likely did not occur here which may be why the AG didn’t do anything.
An FMO is NOT a certified police officer.
^^^Thank you — I’ve reached out to check on this, because it didn’t sound right.
Lash unfortunately you are wrong. The City of Wilmington Fire Department has approximately 10 to 15 members that are COPT certified. They attend the full police academy for the Wilmington Police Department. Mr. Ruger is one of those COPT certified.
Fishfinder: I give you Delaware Title 11/9200 Law Enforcement officer defined:
FMOs are NOT police officers as defined by State Law. They are NOT covered by this chapter. Huge difference here. COPT really doesn’t mean anything, he’s been “trained’ to carry a gun, that’s about it.
“For purposes of this chapter a “law-enforcement officer” is defined as a police officer who is a sworn member of the Delaware State Police, of the Wilmington City Police Department, of the New Castle County Police, of the University of Delaware Police Division, the Delaware State University Police Department, of the police force established by the Delaware River and Bay Authority, or of the police department, bureau of police or police force of any incorporated municipality, city or town within this State or who is a sworn uniformed police or enforcement officer of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control or of the Delaware State Capital Police, or a Probation and Parole Officer of the Department of Correction or a State Fire Marshall Deputy or a state detective or special investigator of the Department of Justice, an agent of the State Police Drug Diversion Unit or an agent of the State Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement; provided, however, that this chapter shall not apply to the Superintendent or Deputy Superintendent of the Delaware State Police, or to any officer above the rank of Captain in the Delaware State Police, or to the chief of police of any police force in this State, or to any other officer who is the highest ranking officer in the law-enforcement agency. Furthermore, no law-enforcement officer not a member of 1 of the above agencies shall be covered by this chapter.”
Seems pretty cut and dry.
Lash, you’ve overlooked the key words “For purposes of this chapter….” All that means is the Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights does not apply to them. An entirely different section of the state code deals with police certification.
By your logic, anyone above the rank of Captain in the DSP would not be a certified police officer, because 11/9200 doesn’t apply to them either (according to the excerpt you quoted).
See, that’s the problem. The FMOs THINK they are cops. If they were cops, they would know city policy states carrying your city issued firearm out of State for anything other than “Official Business” is a fireable offense. If Ruger were a cop he would know this. So, I ask, who knew he was out of state on “official business”?
Hell, the fire chief thought he was cop carrying around a firearm until he got smacked down for it!!!
My first source for some clarity on this responded that it seems as though this Fire Marshal did complete the Academy and the firearm he was caught with was city-issued.
Fire marshalls in the state of Delaware are law enforcement certified for the purpose of code enforcement and investigations.
The City Council Public Safety Committee should haul them all in to testify as to what is going on here ….would be interesting. Lets urge Loretta Walsh to get this meeting held !!!!
166 days, 16 hours, and 10 minutes until I get to vote for Eugene Young
I would think that “investigations,” as they relate to fire marshals, would have to be related to the cause of a fire, not to the location of a firefighter’s residence.
Most infuriating part is that while the union rep firefighter was apparently in compliance with the residency requirement, the top Williams administration officials actually were caught in the act:
http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2014/07/05/wilmington-residency-requirement-creates-gray-area/12261489/
The lawlessness swings both ways. Siccing goons on political enemies to try to nail them for breaking the law, all while the inner circle blatantly violates the very same law. Councilman Brown was spot on…they pick and choose who they go after.
The key part of this is that he was not conducting a criminal investigation…this is a departmental issue. I’m willing to bet that he or other members of WFD illegally used the states Deljis system to gain info on these guys.
To clear it up…and I’m not sticking up for Ruger because he is a rat a-hole…
(5) ”Police officer” means a sworn member of a police force or other law-enforcement agency of this State or of any county or municipality who is responsible for the prevention and the detection of crime and the enforcement of laws of this State or other governmental units within the State.
a. For purposes of this chapter this term shall include permanent full-time law-enforcement officers of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, state fire marshals, municipal fire marshals who are graduates of a Delaware Police Academy which is accredited/authorized by the Council on Police Training, sworn members of the City of Wilmington Fire Department who have graduated from a Delaware Police Academy which is authorized/accredited by the Council on Police Training, environmental protection officers, enforcement agents of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, agents of the State Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement, officers or agents of the State Police Drug Diversion Unit, officers or agents of the Delaware Police Sex Offender Task Force, agents employed by a state, county or municipal law-enforcement agency engaged in monitoring sex offenders, state detective or special investigator of the Department of Justice and officers of the University of Delaware Police Division, Delaware State University Police Department.
You cant have rogue officers going out trespassing and sneaking around houses. That’s how people get killed and shot.. There is a legitimate process through Human Resources and the Residency Review Board to investigate possible violations and issues. The question is why isn’t that process being followed and who is authorizing this rogue behavior? The Fire Chief….if so, they should find that out and hold people accountable….
The NJ follows up and finds that the City’s “leaders” can’t find a unified way to address this.
Most appallingly, Councilman Williams is concerned about the assault on an “officer” (it is not clear to me yet that he is) — not on the possible misuse of city resources, the trespassing on other people’s properties, the lack of adherence to process. Councilman Brown has written a letter with good questions, but there won’t be a hearing.
So there is no one in charge in the City, folks. Especially when it comes to making sure that the resources that taxpayers provide to them are used well.
What is so glaring to me is that no one seems to know who is accountable or who can hold people accountable? Should the Williams administration be conducting an inquiry? The AG’s office? Shouldn’t we begin at the simplest form? Who gave the order for Ruger to investigate? I’m gathering it was Chief Goode who is conveniently not available for comment but has tweeted about 10 times in the last 24 hours and was able to be reached about his so called “car break-ins”. Is there a spokesperson for the residency committee who can comment on exactly what the rules are for investigating these types of issues and if any complaints or allegations were made to warrant an inquiry? Does anyone know which end is up? Sadly, I’m not even sure the WFD knows what’s what. And then we have City Council. What are the functions of the public safety committee? Who do they govern and what power do they have? I’m sure there are policies and procedures in place that could turn these situations gray areas in to some black and white clarity.
The AG’s office may launch an investigation in to the Ruger situation but what authority do they have to really go after those in power who gave the orders? It seems to me like even if there is a problem with any appointed city leadership Williams won’t do anything anyway. He lives so clearly above the law and so do those that work for him.
Why aren’t the domicile police checking on Trippi Congo, whom I understand lives in Hockessin?
^^This. I keep hearing this too. I don’t have the impression that the domicile police are very effective.
aaanonymous and cassandr_m make good points above.
As to what power the Public Safety Committee has; Momoffive, I believe it is none, zero, nada. Oh, wait, they do have one power and that is to approve applications/awards for Public Safety grants. In other areas they try to influence but are not always effective in that regard.
Looks like Congo’s parents own a house in Hockessin, FWIW.
It appears he himself owns a home in Pike Creek, which was not in city limits last time I checked. However, the NCCo property database is so user-unfriendly that I can’t tell if that’s all he owns.
Details available upon request.
When he filed in 2012 he used the funeral home address. Property records for the Pike Creek home he owns have his mailing address as the PO box used by the funeral home.
Sorry if this is off-topic.
No it’s not off topic. Unless he lives in the funeral home, which would be somewhat funereal, we need to know if he lives in the City at all.
It is, after all, a requirement that you must live in the City to run for City Council. And, unless you’re an At-large candidate, you must live in the district you are running to represent.
So, when it comes to ‘lawlessness’ beginning at the top, it’s totally on-topic.
According to this document, Ernest Trippi Congo resides in the community of Pepper Ridge:
http://www3.nccde.org/parcel/Details/Default.aspx?ParcelKey=55995
Pepper Ridge is not in the City, his State Rep is Joe Miro, his State Senator is Greg Lavelle, his County Councilperson is Janet Kilpatrick. None of whom even live close to the City of Wilmington.
Meaning, unless he can demonstrate otherwise (P. O. boxes don’t count), he is not eligible to serve on Council b/c he doesn’t live in the City. As such, he should be removed from Council immediately and, IMHO, required to refund to the city any compensation he received as a member of Council.
BTW, he bought the place back in 1993. Has he EVER been a resident of Wilmington while serving on Council?
Thanks to our tipsters. We love all of them, especially today.
El Som: To clarify, he owns that property. The record doesn’t indicate that he resides there. It could be an investment property or a family member could live there. That said, it should be easy for him to demonstrate that he lives in his district in the city.
Ironically El Som… his funeral home is located in the city and I would bet money that is where he says he “lives”
The funeral home is in the district and he claims to live there. He has a wife and kids, I find it hard to believe he resides there with them. Never ran I to him at Home Depot, the Home Depot everyone goes to.
His wife owns a home I the district also, but they do not reside there, it appears to be an investment property.
I agree he should be removed from the seat his district deserves representation not someone puffing themselves up and collecting a check.
I understand, SW. He lists his ‘address’ as a P. O. Box #. I’ve BEEN to that branch. Nobody lives there.
Where does he live? Anybody been to his house?
WHERE’S TRIPPI?
BTW, if anybody lives near Trippi, be it in the city or in Pike Creek, could you please let us know?
Maybe he lives in the Funeral Home and only comes out of his coffin at midnight?
He’s my councilman and my community is always asking, “Where’s Trippi?”
Exactly pandora. Hear that refrain often.
This rot is throughout the city government. The state needs to take over.
“This rot is throughout the city government. The state needs to take over.”
Why, to show the city politicians how to really do rot right?
For the record, Trippi’s residence is Congo Funeral Home, however he resides in Hockessin. Although I’m still unsure which candidate for mayor I like best Eugene Young was Booker’s campaign aide not his mayoral aide.
I don’t understand… If this was a legitimate investigation, wouldn’t they know this mans address? They wouldn’t have been snooping in his parents yard at 2am, a home he hasn’t lived in for over 25yrs. They would know he owns a home and lives in the city of Wilmington. It just makes no sense to me.
@Fletch
“For the record, Trippi’s residence is Congo Funeral Home, however he resides in Hockessin.”
Are you saying, Trippi claims the funeral home is his residence but actually resides in Hockessin?
That scenario makes him unqualified to represent the 2nd District in the City of Wilmington.
They would know he owns a home and lives in the city of Wilmington.
There’s plenty of residency issues in Wilmington — politicians and employees alike. Plenty of folks can point out who doesn’t live here (the NJ article linked to above shows you how easy it is), it is not so easy to discover what the city does to address this. Other than this crazy WFD thing.
Trippi Congo has always claimed he lives above the funeral home, and everyone else is pretty clear he and his family certainly do not live there. For awhile in 2012 it looked like Trippi might run at-Large because of claims that his wife would not live above the business and wanted to live in 40 Acres or the Highlands. Just reporting the rumor. What I *don’t* know is who has jurisdiction over monitoring the residency (or investigating it) for electeds.
Isn’t it the Department of Elections, at least in election years? I imagine someone would have to file a complaint, though.
You wouldn’t want the Dept. of Elections to conduct the investigation. They concluded that voting in Utah doesn’t have any impact on the residency requirements to run for lieutenant governor.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Elaine Manlove recommended that all candidates for city council get themselves a summer retreat up in the hills of Hockessin.