OUT OF THE STATION, INTO A FIRE

A Saginaw Fire Department Lieutenant Faces Drug Manufacturing Charges

A Saginaw Fire Department administrator charged with growing marijuana at
his home is to appear in court next week.

Lt. David E. Markle and his wife, Denise, 40, face a preliminary hearing
Tuesday before Chief District

Judge Christopher S. Boyd on charges of maintaining a drug house - their
home on Throop near North Woodbridge.

David Markle, 42, who also faces a count of manufacturing marijuana,
remains on the job, said Fire Chief Timothy Gray. He declined further comment.

The Markles did not return messages from The Saginaw News. Their Lansing
attorney, Scott Grabel, was unavailable.

A union contract includes five pages on drug policy, focusing on treatment
for an employee, said Capt. Thomas F. Callison, president of Firefighters
Local 102, which represents nearly 100 firefighters.

The policy also stipulates that supervisors may discipline a worker,
Callison said.

"It's basically a policy with the employee's best interest in mind," he said.

District Judge Joseph G. DeFrancesco at arraignment set personal
recognizance bonds of $4,000 for Markle and $2,000 for his wife.

The charges stem from police response Aug. 22 to a loud party at the
Markles' home.

Officers said they found minors drinking alcohol in

the back yard. When they went in the house seeking more teens, officers
reported, they found marijuana plants in a closet and paraphernalia used to
grow the substance.

Police said they also discovered plants hanging from a wire shelf.

Officers said they questioned the couple's 18-year-old daughter because her
parents were out of town. She began crying but eventually said her parents
were growing the marijuana, officers said.

Police said they later found three plants in the back yard.

Markle joined the department in 1985, and supervi sors promoted him to
chauffeur in 1989 and to lieutenant in 1996.

City spokesman William Bailey said only that the case is under review.

Errol G. Burton, a former fire battalion chief and frequent City Hall
critic, said he called for years for officials to initiate drug testing.

Officials test new workers and other employees only if they have a probable
cause to do so, Burton said.

"We're talking about a life service to the citizens," Burton said. "There
shouldn't be any problems whatsoever.

"It's terrible. It reflects on all the rest of the guys who do a good job."

Copyright 1998 The Saginaw News

Checked-by: Richard Lake