Thursday, July 17, 2014

Ballard Taps Malone To Become Indianapolis' Fire Department Chief


Mayor Greg Ballard has named the first second African-American to serve as chief of the Indianapolis Fire Department. Fox 59 News says Ballard made the announcement that Ernest Malone had been chosen over nearly a dozen other applicants for the position. Malone joined the department in 1986 and most recently held the position of assistant fire chief. The announcement of Malone's appointment was politically-timed during Black Expo's Summer Celebration Fest.

Chief Brian Sanford recently announced that he was retiring from the department due to health reasons; however, the Department of Public Safety Director Troy Riggs created a new chief of staff position for Sanford to fill that he originally said was unnecessary when he became the department's director. With Malone's appointment, now both the City's police and fire departments are run by African-Americans. IMPD Chief Rick Hite, a former police officer from Baltimore, became the first African-American to hold that position.
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9 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:00 AM GMT-5

    This will be news to Joe Kimbrew who was the first African American Fire Chief under Mayor Hudnut

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  2. Gary R. Welsh10:04 AM GMT-5

    Thanks for the correction.

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  3. Anonymous3:45 PM GMT-5

    2 corrections.

    The press conference and announcement was to be held on July 8th and was moved to today because of Officer Perry Renn's Funeral (Not a political move). Also, James Toler 1992-1995 was the first African American Chief of the IPD I know, not IMPD but you get the point.

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  4. Gary R. Welsh4:30 PM GMT-5

    Hite is the first AA chief of IMPD. IPD ceased to exist when the new department was created after the merger with the sheriff's department and the expo kicked off on July 10, but you get the point.

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  5. Gary R. Welsh4:37 PM GMT-5

    And anon. 3:45, your time would be better spent dealing with folks like Amos Brown, who were infuriated that you failed to notify him and other members of the "black media" of today's announcement.

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  6. Anonymous4:54 PM GMT-5

    I wonder if the city is as lenient on other dog owners when they let their dogs run loose like Ernest and attack innocent bystanders. Couldn't poor Ernest afford to pay the fine?

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  7. Anonymous7:51 PM GMT-5

    Did he ever pay his ex-wife all the back child support payments?

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  8. Anonymous8:33 PM GMT-5

    Check out his past federal tax liens.

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  9. Unknown7:15 AM GMT-5

    PEOPLE! NONE OF THAT MATTERS!
    What matters is that Ballard (not Director of Safety Troy Riggs, who, by job description, is responsible for selection & hiring) hired the FIRST BLACK FIRE CHIEF! DURING BLACK EXPO!
    But notice that Director of Safety Troy Riggs immediately found money in the budget to CREATE A NEW POSITION for the ex-chief!!!!
    Isn't it amazing how being a fire chief prepares and qualifies you for really cush jobs! Look at Louis Dezelan as another example.

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