March 15, 2002, Friday

SECTION: LOCAL;  Pg. B01

LENGTH: 523 words

HEADLINE: Funds stolen, union says: TEMECULA: Two former unidentified leaders of the union have been disciplined, officials say.

BYLINE: TIM O'LEARY; THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE

BODY:
 
TEMECULA

Two former leaders of the Riverside County chapter of a statewide firefighters union have been disciplined after an internal probe showed they embezzled about $ 5,000 of the chapter's funds, officials said.

CDF Firefighters spokesman Terry McHale said the former union officers admitted they spent chapter money on personal uses -- for apartment rent and computers -- last year. McHale said the men, whose names were not released, have signed agreements to reimburse the union and have their paychecks garnished if they fail to make payments on time.

However, he said the union has not asked authorities to investigate. Many chapter members know the identities of the two former officers, and their reputations have been stained among their peers at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, McHale said.

"What was done was wrong, and it is being dealt with in the firmest possible way," McHale said Thursday. "We're an association of human beings, and sometimes human beings make mistakes. It is intolerable."

The money was taken from the chapter's benevolent fund, which is used to help burn victims and the families of ill, injured or deceased firefighters.

McHale confirmed the theft and administrative action after an anonymous press release stated that money had been embezzled from the union chapter.

The release also said some chapter officials tried to cover up the theft and that county, state and federal agencies had been notified.

A copy of the chapter's minutes from its Jan. 3 membership meeting was provided along with the news release. The minutes state there was $ 84,230 in the chapter's benevolent account at that time.

Roger Luebs, a county deputy district attorney, said Thursday that his office received the same documents. Because public disclosure could hamper a criminal investigation, Luebs would not say whether his office is looking into the case.

A spokesman for the California First Amendment Coalition said no legal mechanism could force the union to identify the former officials. Executive Director Kent Pollock said union bylaws may require union officials to release the names to members who request them.

McHale said there was no cover-up and the theft was noticed and properly reported to state union representatives by Phil Rawlings, a Temecula-based firefighter who became chapter treasurer in January.

The news release contained "absolutely false statements," McHale  said, but he acknowledged that the term "embezzlement" could accurately describe the unauthorized use of the money.

Rawlings said he did not write the news release and referred other questions to McHale.

McHale said an independent audit will be conducted of the chapter's finances and the results should be available in about two months. Those findings will be made public after they are received by the union, he said.

CDF firefighters are highly regarded among Riverside County residents and union officials are speaking candidly about the case to protect that level of public support and confidence, he said.