LEWES, Del. - Multiple members of the Lewes Fire Department say their voices were not represented in the decision regarding former Fire Chief Bill Buckaloo's punishment, after he was suspended in July for making what the department called a "derogatory comment."
CoastTV received three copies of an email from members of the fire department that they say was sent by the department's president. The email claims that Buckaloo used the N-word while off duty at Irish Eyes.
former fire chief Bill Buckaloo
Two members, who spoke with CoastTV, said they believe the majority of the department wanted Buckaloo to receive a harsher punishment, given his history of misconduct.
According to those members, the department's vice president, John Colpo, also serves as chair of the disciplinary committee and signed off on Buckaloo’s punishment, a 60-day suspension. The fire department’s bylaws reportedly prevent the fire president, Wally Evans, from overriding the disciplinary committee once a decision has been made, according to our sources.
Ahead of Tuesday night’s monthly department meeting, the fire department members say Evans consulted with an attorney regarding whether the case could be sent back to the disciplinary board. According to the members, the attorney advised that the punishment could not be reconsidered, since the vice president had already approved it.
However, some members allege Evans did not provide the attorney with full context, and one said he believes the legal opinion was “to quiet the membership.”
During Tuesday night's meeting, sources tell CoastTV that Evans read aloud a letter from the attorney and then slammed the gavel, declaring the ruling final and did not open for discussion. Buckaloo’s suspension stands at 60 days, after which he is allowed to return to the department.
Sources said several members spoke out, calling for the case to go before the full disciplinary board. Some were reportedly so frustrated by the decision that they walked out of the meeting.
One member of the fire department said Tuesday's meeting felt like 'a dictatorship' and wasn't handled as things usually are.
"In a democratic process, the membership has a right to have their say. We elect people to positions that handle certain things. We vote on things, purchases. If we're going to buy a new firetruck, the members vote every step of the way. There's approval processes from the membership because we're the body of the organization."
Fire department members also argue that Buckaloo’s current punishment violates the department’s bylaws, which call for progressive discipline in cases of repeated misconduct.
Buckaloo has faced disciplinary action before. In 2018, he was arrested by Lewes Police for disorderly conduct after urinating off a dock. In 2020, while serving as assistant chief, he was suspended for a Facebook post containing a slur aimed at a drag performer following a show in Rehoboth Beach.
The department has not publicly commented on the decision or whether the disciplinary process followed internal policy.
CoastTV tried to reach Evans and Buckaloo again Thursday but received no answer.
