Boynton Beach Fire Chief, Arts Official Removed From Jobs Over Erasure Of Black Fire Department Officials In Mural

BOYNTON BEACH (CBSMiami/AP) — A Boynton Beach fire chief and arts manager have been removed from their jobs after the erasure of black former fire department officials from a mural.

The Palm Beach Post reports that City Manager Lori LaVerriere removed Matthew Petty, the city's fire chief, and fired Debby Coles-Dobay, the city's public arts manager.

LaVerriere said in a statement Saturday she would not tolerate disrespect to any part of the community.

The mural, which the city unveiled this month, erased the image of Latosha Clemons, who was the city's first and only black female firefighter and deputy chief.

Also erased on the mural was the face of Glenn Joseph, the city's former fire chief. He was the first black firefighter in Boca Raton's department.

Officials removed the public art project a day after it was unveiled.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)