A Black fire captain in southern Utah, Corey Turner, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit claiming he faced racism and harassment at work. He says his co-workers used racial slurs, and his supervisors and local officials tried to stop him from becoming fire chief. Eventually, he was fired, which he believes was due to racism and retaliation for speaking out against unfair hiring practices.
Turner’s Career and a Road Incident
Turner started working for the Cedar Mountain Service District in July 2021 and quickly rose through the ranks to become a fire captain within six months. However, his progress stalled after a road rage incident with Patrick Mahler, a former fire department employee connected to powerful people in the county. Turner says Mahler aggressively braked in front of him, exited his car, and waved a weapon. Turner reported the incident to the police and his supervisor.
Mahler allegedly sent edited video clips of the incident to fire district board members, including Suzy Polnisch and Kane County Commissioner Wade Heaton. After watching the video, Polnisch allegedly labeled Turner as an “angry Black man” and demanded his firing, though the Utah State Patrol had already investigated and found no reason to press charges.
Despite Polnisch’s pressure, Turner’s then-boss, Fire Chief Chris Rieffer, refused to fire him and instead held a coaching session with Turner. Turner admitted his mistakes and promised improvement. He was later promoted to fire captain, but Polnisch allegedly continued to push for his dismissal. Rieffer’s resistance reportedly led the board to buy out his contract.
Allegations of Racism in Hiring
When the board began looking for a new fire chief in 2022, Turner applied but claims he was undermined during the process. Polnisch allegedly made a prejudiced remark during his interview, saying, “You clean up well,” and expressing surprise at his education and articulateness. Ultimately, the board hired Forrest Barnard, a less qualified candidate with ties to Commissioner Heaton.
Turner criticized the hiring process, calling it unfair and accusing the board of favoritism toward Heaton’s associates. He also alleged that Heaton sometimes referred to him using a racial slur. Turner’s criticism reportedly led to renewed efforts to fire him.
His Firing and Subsequent Lawsuit
Turner says Barnard, now fire chief, fired him in May 2023 without providing a reason. Later, Barnard allegedly pressured two deputy chiefs to write statements justifying the termination, but they later retracted their claims, saying they felt coerced.
Turner alleges his firing violated his civil rights, claiming he was treated unfairly because of his race and punished for speaking out about corruption. He is seeking a jury trial, legal costs, back pay, and damages.
Defendants Deny Wrongdoing
The defendants, including Polnisch, Barnard, and Heaton, deny all allegations of discrimination and argue that Turner was an at-will employee. They also cite investigations by the state Labor Commission and the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which found no wrongdoing.
Polnisch defended Barnard’s leadership, calling him a professional and committed fire chief. A hearing in the case is scheduled for January 13.
