Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 20, 1995 TAG: 9501200072
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAN VERTEFEUILLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
After a monthlong in-house investigation, Chief Ray Houff Jr. resigned last week. His assistant, John Beach, took over as chief. Rescue squad leaders then turned their information over to police.
"It was determined there were sufficient questions about some of these [bank] accounts that justified a state police investigation," said Jim Swanson, a Salem attorney representing the rescue squad.
"I'm not by any means saying it's a theft situation or an indication of criminal wrongdoing," he said, but he declined to provide specifics about the irregularities.
Swanson said Houff, who was just re-elected chief in December, was "probably encouraged to resign," but that it was his decision. Houff could not be reached for comment Thursday, and the new chief referred questions to the attorney.
Swanson said the accounts in question probably contained "a couple thousand dollars."
Salem police were called, and Police Chief Harry Haskins turned the case over to the state police to avoid any appearance of a conflict. The Salem police have a close working relationship with the rescue squad.
Lt. Lee Bradley, head of the state police criminal investigations bureau in Salem, said an agent was assigned to the case Tuesday and is gathering information and reviewing records.
Bradley said he understood there was a "shortage of money." But Swanson said he was not sure whether any money was missing or whether the case involved only a failure to follow squad procedures when checks were written.
The rescue squad is a close-knit, all-volunteer operation, with about 65 members.
"It's been hard," said one rescue squad officer. "There's been a lot of staying up late nights trying to figure out how to do what's best to do. This is a difficult time for us."
Swanson said an outside investigation was requested because of the squad's "sense of public accountability" and to avoid any appearance of secrecy. He said he did not expect charges to be filed, but "I don't know all the details."
Houff was honored last year, along with three other rescue squad members from around the valley, with a Distinguished Public Service Award by the Knights of Columbus.
The Salem Rescue Squad operates on donations and some money from the city. The city also provides its building and some equipment, but has no direct control over the squad or its finances, Mayor Jim Taliaferro said.
by CNB