SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — It’s been five months since a video surfaced of a scantily-clad woman stepping out of a San Jose Fire Department engine and walking into the Pink Poodle strip club.
On Tuesday, the City Manager’s Office confirmed to KRON4 that the city’s investigation into the scandal has been concluded. But city officials continue to remain tight-lipped about anything that the investigation uncovered.
The video first surfaced on “San Jose Foos” Instagram in October. It was captioned, “Only in San Jose do you see a stripper come out of a firetruck.” A woman wearing only a bikini emerges from Engine-4 with its lights flashing outside the Pink Poodle’s front entrance.
At the time, then-Mayor Sam Liccardo said, “If the investigation concludes that this video is as bad as it looks, then heads must roll. We cannot have a life-critical emergency rescue apparatus relegated to a frat party bus, nor tolerate any conduct that so demeans the heroic work of the rest of our SJFD team.”
KRON4 asked the city’s new Mayor, Matt Mahan, and City Manager on Tuesday if any “heads have rolled” yet.
Mahan said, “Like all of our residents, I was shocked when I saw the video, and have to believe the investigation will show conduct well below the high standard the women and men of San Jose Fire hold themselves to everyday. I have the utmost confidence Fire Chief Sapien will conduct a thorough review of what happened and take appropriate action once that work is done.”
The City Manager’s Office responded with a prepared statement, writing, “The investigation has been concluded. We are in the process of taking appropriate action based on what was discovered during the course of the investigation and will provide more information as it is appropriate to do so.”
A firefighter told KRON4 that the firefighters involved with the Pink Poodle incident still remain on the job.
“You can’t make this stuff up. It is so hush hush in our department, it’s an internal affairs deal. We are in the dark about it too. Our department has been known for buffoonery,” the firefighter said.
Engine-4’s fire station is one of the busiest in the city for 911 calls because it’s centrally located in San Jose. “They get pummeled with calls. They go to Pink Poodle for calls,” the firefighter said.
But Engine-4 never received an emergency call for service on the night of the incident, October 5, according to reports.
Engine 4 reportedly stopped in front of the Pink Poodle around 9:06 p.m. that night, drove around the block slowly, and returned to the strip club around 9:10 p.m.
