Tuesday, January 24, 2012 COUNCIL BLUFFS - The dismissal of a Council Bluffs firefighter who received a deferred judgment in a felony case was upheld on Friday.

The Council Bluffs Civil Service Commission affirmed the termination of Henry Hinkel II for violating city policy.Hinkel, 45, was charged with second-degree arson and fraudulent submissions to an insurer in connection with a car fire at his residence last February.

He entered an Alford plea to the fraudulent submissions charge, and the arson charge was dismissed. If he has no criminal offenses in the next two years, the crime will be removed from his record.

At the hearing, Hinkel's attorney, Michael Murphy, said he and his client were assured by Fire Chief Alan Byers that the plea agreement would allow Hinkel to keep his job. Hinkel said he never would have accepted the plea agreement had he known that he would lose his job.But Byers said he made no assurances that Hinkel would keep his job with a plea.

http://www.fireengineering.com/news/2012/01/1589308559/board-upholds-dismissal-of-firefighter-accused-of-arson.html