Lansing firefighter Michael Lynn Jr. received a notice of termination from the city Wednesday.
Lynnfaced a disciplinary hearing Friday for posting Lansing Police Chief Daryl Green's cell phone number on his Facebook Page.
Lansing Fire Chief Greg Martin said in a statement that the fire department had determined Lynn "was in violation of numerous department policies," that the decision had been made to terminate Lynn's employment and that he was "not at liberty to provide any more specifics."
Lynn's attorney Elizabeth Abdnour said in the press release that the decision has little effect on Lynn who has been off work for the past year because of duty-related injuries.
Abdnour's press release also includes a statement from Green, which a police department public information officer Robert Merritt said was accurate but had been made "internally."
The statement from Green said, in part, "There is no free speech argument to be made, this was a malicious use of information gained that is directly related to his position as a City of Lansing employee... This letter is not only my opinion, but it is most assuredly held by members of the police profession in Lansing and elsewhere... Lynn failed to respect me as a co-worker, much less the City of Lansing Police Chief, with any ounce of respect and I view his intentional actions as harassing and meant to harm me, my family, and the City of Lansing.
"Lynn has used his speech in a way to endanger others in the community and further obstruct the police department in its public safety and reform efforts," Green added.
Lynn, a Black activist who produces a podcast called Merica 20 to Life, has been a frequent critic of Mayor Andy Schor's administration. He has also filed several lawsuits against the city alleging discrimination.
"This is pure retaliation by Chief Green, Mayor Schor, and the Lansing Fire Department administration," Lynn said in a statement released through his attorney. "They cite in my termination letter that I am the driving force behind the community being upset with the Lansing Police Department, and that is simply not true. We are lucky to live in a community that is well-informed and holds its government responsible for its shortcomings, and the City's attempt to blame me for the community's dissatisfaction with its repeated failures is an insult to the citizens of Lansing."
Schor said in a statement that “there are procedures in our collective bargaining agreements for discipline of employees who act out against other employees. I am not involved in that process, and have deliberately removed myself from knowledge of any actions regarding this individual due to his current legal actions against the City.”
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