Published May 29 in the Lebanon Enterprise

Lebanon police chief orders regulations related to rescue squad

By CHRIS HAMILTON
Lebanon Enterprise

LEBANON — Lebanon Police Chief Shelton Young isn't sure who's in charge of the Marion County Rescue Squad these days, but he knows exactly who's in charge at the police department - he is.

Young circulated a memo to all Marion County EMS, rescue squad and police personnel last week that said his dispatchers would only honor requests to call out the rescue squad from J.T. Whitlock and Paula Coyle.

Dispatchers will honor requests from Whitlock, the county's emergency services director, for non-emergencies and requests from Coyle, the county's EMS director, for emergencies, the memo stated.

Dispatchers will acknowledge requests from local police, Kentucky State Police, the sheriff's department and those designated by Whitlock and Coyle for accidents in the city.

The rescue squad will be called out anytime the EMS is called out in the county, the memo states.

Young said in the memo that he was issuing the order "due to some controversy as to who is actually in charge of the Marion County Rescue Squad, and the problem it is causing us."

Rescue squad Commander Scott Lawson was given a letter recently informing him that he was being relieved of his duties by three other officers.

Lawson presented a petition in support of his remaining in command to the officers at a meeting Sunday, May 20. The petition was signed by a majority of the squad members.

Lawson believes this means he is still in charge.

Vehicle Lt. Matt Boswell believes he might still be the acting commander. Boswell said he and two other officers acted appropriately and in accordance with the squad's constitution and by-laws.

Vice-Commander Dan Lawson was recently dismissed from the squad by Whitlock because, Whitlock said, Lawson faxed an "anonymous letter" to the local EMS building that contradicted his direct orders concerning a "Signal 8" policy.

Dan Lawson has disputed Whitlock's accusation and said the fax he sent was merely an idea he and other members were "kicking around." Dan Lawson also maintains that Whitlock does not have the authority to dismiss members of the volunteer organization.

Boswell was next in line to assume command.

Young said the internal affairs of the rescue squad are not his concern, but the squad's connection to the police department forced him to make his decision.
Police dispatchers make announcements for the rescue squad and page its members when they are needed.

"It was none of my business until it started creating problems with my department," Young said. "I'm not trying to tell them how to run their organization, but until this conflict is resolved, I don't want my dispatchers in the position to have to determine who has the authority to request something."
Young said problems with the rescue squad started impacting his department adversely even before the argument over who is in charge began.

"On two occasions we've had to send officers to the rescue squad because situations were getting out of hand between individuals there and it looked like there might be a fight," he said. "Another time, we get a call from one person saying there will be a meeting. Then a different one calls and says there won't be a meeting. Then another one calls and says there will be a meeting.

"My dispatchers are not going to be in the middle of that."

In his memo, Young said his department would acknowledge only one on-scene commander. That person would be the first to call "in command" at the scene, not en route to the scene.

"This applies to city and county runs," he said in the memo. "At any scene where a law enforcement officer(s) is present, the ranking law enforcement officer is ultimately in command."

Young said in the memo that the ranking law enforcement officer, after conferring with EMS, could cancel any emergency personnel en route.

"Other responding personnel who disregard this cancellation order may be cited upon arrival," Young said in the memo. "Until such time that uniform protocol and order is established and I rescind this order, I expect full compliance, no discussion, no compromise."

© 2001 Lebanon Enterprise  All Rights Reserved.

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