Boston firefighter charged with heroin possession while on duty in Jamaica Plain

By Andrew Ryan and John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

Mayor Thomas M. Menino said today he was angered by the arrest of an on-duty Boston firefighter on drug charges, stating the use of illegal drugs by the city’s public safety personnel is unacceptable.

“Last night when I heard about it, I was really angry about the whole situation,’’ Menino told reporters. “A firefighter whom we entrust with public safety is out there doing drugs that are illegal in our society. We don’t tolerate that.”

According to a Boston police report, Stephen Hogan, 24, was arrested Tuesday night inside the firehouse at 1870 Columbus Ave. by Boston police detectives who had been tasked to attack drug dealing in the Egleston Square neighborhood.

Hogan is the son of District Fire Chief Gerald Hogan, a man Menino said he did not know. The mayor also said that the younger Hogan should be accountable for his own actions, and the fact that his father is also on the department is not relevant.

“He’s an adult. He’s on his own. He should be accountable for his own actions,’’ Menino said. “The father has nothing to do with the son.”

Stephen Hogan (Boston police)

In their reports, police said they spotted Hogan leaving the firehouse and heading over to a nearby Walgreen’s drug store while talking to someone on his cellphone.

Hogan went into the drug store and exited holding onto a small white package, police said in the report. Hogan was still talking on his cellphone when a gold Cadillac SUV pulled into the store parking lot with two people sitting in the front seat, police said.

Hogan got into the back seat of the vehicle, which left the drug store parking lot and then stopped in front of the firehouse to let Hogan get out, police said. Police lost the Cadillac in the traffic, but confronted Hogan in the firehouse.

According to police, Hogan had a plastic bag with tan powder in his pants pocket, which police said contained suspected heroin. Hogan allegedly first told police he was not a drug user, but was instead selling drugs to pay off a debt to a bookie, police said.

Pressed by police, Hogan admitted the drugs were for his personal use. He said he lied to police initially because he feared losing his job with the department.

“OK, I do use heroin and I did get the bag for me,’’ police quoted Hogan as telling them in the report. “I was scared, If I admit to using I would lose my job, I’m still on probation.’’

According to Boston city records, Hogan joined the department July 9 and was part of the group that graduated from the city firefighting academy Nov. 20. Department spokesman Steve MacDonald said Wednesday that Hogan was assigned to Engine 42. His probation was scheduled to end in July.

MacDonald declined to discuss the circumstances of Hogan’s arrest, referring all questions to police.

MacDonald also said the department would not comment on Hogan’s on-duty performance because Hogan resigned.

“He was arrested. He resigned. He is no longer a firefighter,’’ MacDonald said. “He doesn’t work for us any more.’’

Hogan will be arraigned Thursday in Roxbury Municipal Court. Earlier today, officials had announced that Hogan was to appear in the courthouse in West Roxbury.

Menino welcomed Hogan’s departure.

“A young man who is on probation at the fire department gets involved in a drug deal,’’ he said. “He has no place in our fire department for one thing. That’s why we have the rules and regulations we do have in the fire department.”