When Mayor Jim Kenney named Adam Thiel as the new head of the Philadelphia's fire department last week, critics of the move were not hard to find.
Club Valiants, the local chapter of the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters, released a statement opposing the decision.
The firefighters' union, International Association of Firefighters - Local 22, voiced their preference for an internal pick to take over as leader.
However, the outgoing Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer remained mum on the decision.
Until now.
The Philadelphia Tribune caught up with Sawyer, who had held the position since June 2014.
“I’m not owed anything but I think I’ve earned the right for the opportunity. I think I deserved the right to a fairer process,” Sawyer told the paper.
Kenney had announced his plans to conduct a national search when he won the election in November.
Sawyer had been in the department since 1985.
[ Click here to read The Philadephia Tribune story. ]