A Cranston fire lieutenant is the suing the city and the firefighters’ union after the deputy chief allegedly punched and slammed him while on duty in September, because the lieutenant had refused to participate in a “Fill the Boot” fundraising campaign.
Scott Bergantino filed suit in U.S. District Court, alleging that Deputy Chief Paul Valletta Jr. assaulted him by punching him twice in the head and slamming him against a whiteboard on Sept. 9. Bergantino charges that Valletta breached his duties to Bergantino as president of the Cranston Firefighters International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 1363, by leaving him no avenue with which to file a grievance against him.
He also accused the city of negligence for failing to properly train supervisors, such as Valletta, in anger and stress control.