Phoenix City Council member Sal DiCiccio wants DPS to investigate Phoenix Fire Department

PHOENIX - Phoenix City Council member Sal DiCiccio wants the Department of Public Safety to investigate possible criminal misconduct by the Phoenix Fire Department.

The lawsuit filed in 2011 was discussed with council members earlier this month.

The complaint was filed by Julie Simpson, who was hired on as a firefighter by the department in 2001.

Simpson claims she worked in an environment of sexual harassment and gender discrimination. Court documents show that she was called derogatory names. She also claims that supervisors made gender discriminatory statements towards her.

"What shocks me the most is how long this type of behavior was allowed to go on, and how nothing was done to stop it. No one was punished and she was moved because of the claims. You don't move the victim, you protect them," said council member Sal DiCiccio who represents District 6.

Another allegation that surfaced is that a fellow firefighter broke into Simpson's room at the fire department through a vent and went through her cell phone.

"When the city staff found out there were allegations of breaking and entering, why weren't the police called? When they found out there were allegations of public documents being altered, why weren't the police called?  I want an outside agency to be called in to investigate. There is more to this than a sexual harassment case," said DiCiccio.

We reached out to Julie Simpson and her attorneys, but they declined to comment on the case.

Officials with Phoenix Fire Department also did not want to comment because this is still an open case.