Sacramento pays settlement to controversial former fire chief who alleged wrongful termination
The city of Sacramento has paid a $300,000 settlement to former Fire Chief Gary Loesch, who spent much of his tenure embroiled in controversy.
Former City Manager Howard Chan ousted Loesch in May 2022 for reasons including “incompatibility of management style” and “failure to foster a homogeneous and inclusive work environment and culture,” according to previous reporting by The Sacramento Bee.
In September 2022, Loesch filed a wrongful termination claim, alleging the firing stemmed from his appeal of a disciplinary pay cut and that Chan deliberately exposed him to COVID-19.
Loesch claimed Chan had attempted to dock his pay for an employee’s workplace retaliation complaint and wearing a pimp costume to a 2019 Halloween party. The settlement was finalized in December.
“It feels good to put that chapter in my life behind me,” Loesch told The Bee on Wednesday.
“It’s a shame that one person in government destroyed my career and reputation because I had challenged them on wrongdoing,” Loesch added, in reference to Chan.
The city of Sacramento did not respond to a request for comment. The city previously denied the allegation that Chan had COVID-19 when he met with Loesch.
Loesch came to Sacramento in October 2018 after serving more than three decades with the Philadelphia Fire Department. His nearly four-year tenure in Sacramento was muddled in controversy, from allegations of harassment, bullying, hazing and racial insensitivity within the department to the chief and city’s decision to allow a reality TV series to film Sacramento firefighters responding to calls.
This story was originally published February 12, 2025 at 3:04 PM.
