In a radio interview with Amsterdam fire brigade commander Leen Schaap about systemic racial and gender bias in the fire department, Schaap claimed that Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema found a common racist joke in the fire department "funny" and "hilarious". Halsema's office disputed Schaap's claim. Schaap said to radio program This American Life that the joke in question involves the a racial slur often made against people of color in the Amsterdam fire department.
Leen Schaap
Sep 30 '19 10:28
Aug 8 '18 08:56
Peter van Uhm, former commander of the armed forces, was appointed as a 'strategic adviser' to help with the modernization of the Amsterdam fire department by advising commander Leen Schaap and mayor Femke Halsema on how to achieve it. He starts on August 20th, Het Parool reports.
Jul 19 '18 10:10
Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema condemned death threats made against Amsterdam fire department commander Leen Schaap during her first city council meeting as mayor on Wednesday afternoon.
Jul 18 '18 08:57
Amsterdam politicians were shocked by the revelation that Leen Schaap, commander of the Amsterdam fire department, received death threats from members of his own corps. They think it is outrageous, too crazy for words and completely unacceptable, AT5 reports.
Jul 17 '18 08:05
Amsterdam fire department commander Leen Schaap received death threats from members of his own corps. He reported at least two threats to the police in February and March this year. The Public Prosecutor is investigating the death threats, a spokesperson confirmed to newspaper AD.
May 14 '18 15:30
Trade unions want an independent investigation into statements made by Amsterdam Fire Department Commander Leen Schaap. They accuse Schaap of dereliction of duty due to criticism he made about the corps in the media, Het Parool reports.
Mar 21 '18 10:05
For years the Amsterdam fire brigade made extra payments to staff against the rules, according to a report by the forensic investigation office Integis. A total of nearly 4 million euros was illegally paid out to firefighters and other staff members, Integis concluded after launching an investigation at the request of local safety office Veiligheidsregio Amsterdam-Amstelland.
Jan 26 '18 08:56
A dildo left in the desk drawer of a female employee as a "joke", has shone a spotlight on sexual harassment in the Amsterdam Fire Department. This "joke" left the employee involved "severely upset", Fire Brigade Commander Leen Schaap wrote on the Amsterdam-Amstelland brigade's intranet earlier this month, AD reports.
Jul 27 '17 08:26
Amsterdam fire department commander Leen Schaap is still struggling to change the culture within the corps, which still shows signs of discrimination, racism and bullying, Mayor Eberhard van der Laan and municipal secretary Arjan van Gils said in a letter to the city council, NU.nl reports.
Feb 3 '17 13:45
An Amsterdam firefighter appeared in court on Friday to fight his suspension for discirminatory behavior. This happened one day after Mayor Eberhard van der Laan discussed a damning report by new fire department commander Leen Schaap about the culture within the city's fire department with the General Affairs committee. Van der Laan promised improvement, AT5 reports.
Jan 20 '17 12:45
Amsterdam Mayor Eberhard van der Laan has no good word to say about the Amsterdam fire department in a recent letter to the municipal council. According to him, discrimination is the order of the day in the fire department, recruitment is based on a white male culture and leaders do not intervene or show exemplary behavior. The general image of the letter is that the Amsterdam fire department is great at extinguishing fires, but the general culture is rotten, Het Parool reports.
