ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Chief Jim Large says he's committed to the city and protecting it while working to defend his record amid allegations of discrimination and bullying.
"This is where I spent most of my life. I love this city but it is necessary for my family and I to defend ourselves," Large said in a prepared statement.
Mayor Ken Welch put Large on administrative leave earlier this month following comments made on an anonymous workplace survey from city staff. About 1,600 comments from city employees were submitted.
Among them — only five mentioned both "diversity" and "Large," the chief's attorney, Jay Hebert — was an allegation that Large made frequent sexist and racist comments while at the station, according to the documents obtained by 10 Tampa Bay.
For instance, one anonymous comment reads, "Chief Large and his command staff have no regard for fairness or equity in the treatment of individuals who are Black. This is often worse for females of that group."
Large has denied the allegations and, speaking briefly to the media Friday afternoon, said being with the city for almost 50 years has been his life worth with a record to prove it.
Large did not answer questions, but Hebert did so on his behalf.
He and his team prepared a response to the allegations, citing that about 49 percent of new hires since his becoming chief in 2006 have been of minority status.
The response included a 56-page document in response to the city. It features findings they have in response to the allegations, along with highlights from Large's career.
When asked why such claims would be made if they were false, Hebert attributed them to political motivations.
When asked whether Large would leave his post, Hebert says the chief said it best in his remarks: "Absolutely not."
Former St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman has also voiced support for Large.
"He's been chief now for 17 years, you think if the man was racist or misogynistic that a long time ago that we would have known about that," Kriseman added. "It just strikes me strange that all a of sudden these allegations are coming out when for my 8 years, I didn't hear them."
The president of the St. Petersburg branch of the NAACP has called for the permanent termination of Large.
"Inclusion and Principled Progress are two of the core values of Mayor Welch and it is painfully obvious that Chief Large does not share those values," President Esther Matthews stated, in part.
Large was Florida's Fire Chief of the Year in 2022. He has served with the department since 1974.