One of Greater Manchester's highest ranking fire officers has lost an appeal against his dismissal. Assistant County Fire Officer, Dave Keelan, who earned £130,000 a year, was suspended by the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service on November 22nd while an investigation took place into an "internal complaint".
A full disciplinary hearing took place in March heard by the Deputy Chief Fire Officer of GMFRS, Ben Norman, and Mr Keelan was sacked with immediate affect. The decision to proceed to a full disciplinary hearing followed an investigation by a senior officer from the Tyne and Weir Fire Service who was commissioned by GMFRS to carry out an inquiry.
This month Mr Keelan activated his right to appeal against the decision, which was heard by Chief Fire Officer, Dave Russel. But in a statement issued to the Manchester Evening News a GMFRS spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a senior officer has been dismissed from the organisation following a disciplinary process. An appeal process has concluded and the dismissal upheld.” GMFRS has not revealed, so far, the nature of the complaint against Mr Keelan.
