Return of suspended U City firefighters sought

UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. (AP) — A University City advisory panel wants city officials to reinstate five firefighters suspended for appearing in uniform in a local candidate's campaign ad.

Six city firefighters were suspended for three months without pay for appearing in a photograph with a City Council candidate who later lost his April municipal election. One of those suspended city employees has since left the department.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (bit.ly/1pIkcVP ) reports that University City Manager Lehman Walker said he will consider the Civil Service Board's recommendation but make his own decision. The board also recommended that the punished firefighters receive back pay and benefits and have the incident removed from their personnel file.

Some of the firefighters wore protective clothing known as turnout gear, which they say is not part of their official uniform.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com

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