LEADVILLE, Colo. - A city fire captain was arrested and handcuffed during an emergency call last weekend, the latest twist in a dispute between city officials and the Lake County sheriff.
Fire Capt. Dan Dailey was released about an hour after his March 27 arrest. District Attorney Mark Hurlbert said prosecutors will decide next week whether to file charges.
Dailey said he went to the sheriff's office in Leadville to help after an ambulance was summoned for a woman who went there with a neck injury.
City officials said deputies arrested Dailey after he refused their orders to leave.
Fire Chief Robert Harvey said Dailey's decision to go to the scene was appropriate.
"The fire captain was monitoring the radio and responded to the emergency call," he told The Denver Post.
Sheriff Ed Holte was out of the office Friday, his staff said. He didn't immediately respond to a message left on his voicemail by The Associated Press.
The city and sheriff have been at odds over who should provide emergency protection outside Leadville.
Leadville firefighters cover the entire county under an intergovernmental agreement that expires in December. Mayor Bud Elliott said Holte wants his deputies to be trained as firefighters, which would allow them to essentially replace Leadville firefighters outside the city.
The commissioners scheduled a meeting Monday to discuss Dailey's arrest.
Elliott said he and a police officer are now on call to be observers on all Fire Department calls.
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Information from: The Denver Post,
http://www.denverpost.com
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