HONOLULU — Two Honolulu paramedics were fired after taking city-issued vehicles home while on duty, despite saying there was no policy prohibiting it and that they remained available to respond to calls.
The Honolulu Civil Beat reported that the investigation began with a May 2023 anonymous tip accusing the employees of unplugging vehicle trackers and taking EMS vehicles home at night to sleep while on duty.
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The Honolulu Emergency Services Department hired Allied Universal to conduct surveillance. Investigators documented each employee taking a work vehicle home for two to three hours at a time on several occasions in June and July 2023.
City records show an EMS official hired a friend’s security company to conduct the probe and helped direct the investigation, including which witnesses to interview and what questions to ask. The official also shared the employees’ home addresses without their consent.
The investigation led to the paramedics being placed on paid leave and later fired in February 2024. An arbitrator later found the city had mishandled the investigation and improperly fired them for violating a rule that did not exist.
The arbitrator ordered the city to reinstate the paramedics, clear their records and provide back pay. The union said the city delayed carrying out the order, while the city cited paperwork and retirement pay questions.
The paramedics were reinstated Aug. 28, according to EMS spokesperson Shayne Enright, but still have not received back pay. The city has since adopted a policy governing when employees can go home while on shift.
