Fire

A head and shoulders photo of Richmond Fire Chief Angel Montoya in a black or navy uniform with an embroidered Fire Department badge on the left arm and a metal badge over his left breast pocket. His name badge is over the right breast pocket. He is clean shaven with cropped salt and pepper hair and is smiling.

Fired fire chief sues city for discrimination

Former Fire Chief Angel Montoya has filed a discrimination case against Richmond, claiming the city fired him in October because of his Hispanic ethnicity and his age.  The lawsuit, filed in Contra Costa County Superior Court on Nov. 28 and uploaded to the public portal Monday, alleges that two years after hiring Montoya, city officials found him too “old,” at 61, to lead the Fire Department.  Montoya was terminated on Oct. 26 after an impromptu meeting with City Manager Shasa…

By on December 11, 2023
A head and shoulders photo of Richmond Fire Chief Angel Montoya in a black or navy uniform with an embroidered Fire Department badge on the left arm and a metal badge over his left breast pocket. His name badge is over the right breast pocket. He is clean shaven with cropped salt and pepper hair and is smiling.

Richmond Fire Chief Angel Montoya is out

Richmond firefighters received a department-wide email Thursday notifying them that Fire Chief Angel Montoya was no longer with the Richmond Fire Department, and that Deputy Fire Chief Aaron Osorio would be acting chief for the time being.  The email, which Richmond Confidential reviewed, did not detail what prompted Montoya’s departure or if it was his choice. The decision follows a plea for change from Richmond Firefighters Local 188, which in July, issued a vote of no confidence in Montoya’s leadership….

By on October 27, 2023