Taiwanese Fire Departments Criticized for 'Trust Colleagues' Defense Amid Investigations

A popular Facebook page focused on fire service issues, "Fire God's Tablet," has sharply criticized fire department leaders for repeatedly invoking the phrase "trust my colleagues" when faced with controversies. The page argues that this statement is insufficient and can be used to evade genuine investigations and evidence.

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Trusting colleagues can be an attitude, but it absolutely cannot replace an investigation report.

The criticism comes in the wake of an incident involving a search and rescue dog named Wilson in Hualien County, where the fire department chief responded to questions by stating he "trusts his colleagues." This statement immediately drew parallels to a similar situation two months prior in Yilan County. In that case, the then-Yilan Fire Department Chief, Hsu Sung-yi, also claimed to "trust his colleagues" when questioned by investigators about a corruption scandal involving inflated meal expense reimbursements. Hsu was subsequently released on bail.

"Fire God's Tablet" emphasized that the phrase "trust my colleagues" can shift the focus of public discussion from the core issues of evidence and investigation to a debate about whether people trust frontline personnel. The page pointed out that in the Yilan case, the investigation into alleged embezzlement of public funds continued, and Hsu later retired. Therefore, when the Hualien Fire Department chief used the same phrase regarding Wilson's accident, it evoked a strong sense of déjà vu.

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Wilson can no longer speak. This time, we hope what the public sees is not just a statement of trust, but the truth that can withstand scrutiny.

The page urged that instead of issuing statements of trust, fire departments should provide concrete evidence, details of the incident, medical records, investigation procedures, and findings related to recent accusations. The post concluded by stating that while "trusting colleagues" can be an attitude, it cannot replace a formal investigation or evidence. With Wilson unable to speak for himself, the page called for transparency and verifiable facts to emerge, rather than relying on mere assertions of trust.

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I trust my colleagues are innocent.