GOLDEN, Colo.  Former Golden Fire Chief Kasey Beal, who was fired last week after a racist doll incident came to light, plans to pursue legal action against the city, Beal announced in a statement Sunday.Beal was terminated ami d fallout from the incident, which has also led to the firing of an employee, the ouster of the city manager, and an ongoing independent investigation.That incident centers around a Black "Snoop on a Stoop" doll, which was found hanging by a rope around its neck inside a fire station in March 2026.The doll was moved to different locations within the Golden Fire Department for an unspecified but "extended" period during the holiday season, according to an anonymous source.On Thursday, interim City Manager Carly Lorentz notified employees via email about Beals termination."I understand there may be mixed feelings about this decision, and I have heard the strong perspectives some of you have shared," Lorentz said in the email. "Please know that this decision was not made lightly. It is based on additional information I received this week surrounding the incident. My responsibility is to consider the well-being of the entire City organization, and I believe this step is necessary."Lorentz did not specify what that additional information was.In the statement, Beal argues that the city failed to fully disclose the facts surrounding the incident that led to his dismissal.The former fire chief claims that he promptly referred the matter to human resources within hours of being notified of the doll.Beal says HR conducted an investigation without his involvement and never shared a written report with him.Based on HR's findings, the employee responsible was demoted and suspended, and DEI training for the department was originally scheduled to commence in late August, according to Beal.Following additional review and staff feedback, the employee responsible for hanging the doll was terminated on July 28, several months after the incident.Beal denied any cover-up, saying the incident was handled seriously and in accordance with city policy.In the statement, the former chief pointed to letters of support he said were signed by all Golden Fire Department employees, maintained that he is not racist, and emphasized that "facts do matter."On Tuesday, Golden City Council voted to oust City Manager Scott Vargo, citing a loss of trust following the city's handling of the incident.Vargo acknowledged the city's response was inadequate and said he should have been more transparent with employees about the incident.The city is now moving forward with a third-party investigation to examine the incident, its response and broader organizational issues.Specifics as to when Beal will file legal action against the city were not disclosed.Denver7 is reaching out to Golden city officials for a response to Beals statement.Beal's full statement: The City of Golden recently terminated my employment based on a racist incident in which they refuse to disclose all the facts. The former City Manager even went so far as to say, facts dont matter. Given the raw emotion surrounding any incident involving racism, facts do indeed matter. This incident was perpetrated by one individual, and when the doll was found, it was immediately removed by another member of the fire department and reported. I turned this matter over to Human Resources within hours of being notified; HR then conducted an internal investigation in conjunction with the citys legal department, without my involvement or oversight. No investigative report was ever shared with me, nor was I interviewed at any point. I was placed in a position to determine a level of discipline based solely on an oral summation of the investigation findings given by Kristen Meier, the Citys HR Director. The individual responsible for the racist act was subsequently demoted and suspended for 48 hours without pay. Two separate DEI consultants were also solicited by me to provide intensive DEI training for the entire fire department, originally set to commence in late August. The decision to exclude the REDI Taskforce lead, Sarah Vaine, from the meeting where the level of discipline was decided upon (demotion and suspension), rested solely with the former City Manager. This exclusion created palpable tension between her and the former City Mansager and excluded a valuable perspective from the decision-making process. The city is now proceeding with an independent secondary investigation which is tantamount to an admission that their initial investigation was both inadequate and incomplete. The fire department worked together with HR, City Legal, and the City Managers office to ensure maximum internal transparency regarding this incident. There was certainly no cover up; it was treated with all due seriousness and in accordance with city policy. I will be proceeding with legal action against the City of Golden relating to my recent termination. I truly appreciate the letters of support Ive received from both volunteer and career fire department leadership, co-signed by 100% of Golden Fire Department staff. For those who have worked with me during my 31-year tenure in the fire service, they know that I am certainly not a racist; I hold individuals accountable. Facts do matter. ...read more read less