(Worthy News) – Atlanta Fire Chief, Kelvin Cochran claims he was terminated due to his religious beliefs and that his First Amendment rights were violated. However, the City of Atlanta and Mayor Kasim Reed hold firm that Cochran “was fired because he did not comply with the City’s pre-clearance rules for outside employment and for facilitating a massive public relations campaign against the Mayor and the City.”
Cochran, a chief operating officer of the Atlanta-based Elizabeth Baptist Church, wrote in preparation of a November news conference, “In my life I have experienced firsthand the negative attitudes, racial slurs, and discrimination because of the color of my skin.” He created the Atlanta Fire Rescue Doctrine in an effort to create a just and peaceful work environment for all.
Before his post in Atlanta, Cochran’s career accolades include an appointment as theUS Fire Administrator by President Obama in 2009, and one of the first African American members, and later chief of the Shreveport Fire Department. [ Source: Christian Headlines (Read More…) ]