Irving Fire captain files discrimination suit against department

Glover McMillan made history as the first African American firefighter in Irving in 1979 and worked his way over the years to captain. Now he's filed a discrimination lawsuit after he’s been passed over three times for appointment to assistant chief.

McMillan said when he was passed over previously he was told he lacked experience in the training section. So in 2009, he worked to be assigned to the training division and eventually had more than five years running the division.

Then he got passed over for a third time.

“When I was called and notified that the other person had been chosen, I asked what was the defining difference. My chief said ‘I don’t want to get into that,’” McMillan said.

In its most serious allegation, the lawsuit says the person who wound up being selected over McMillan falsified credentials so he could get the job.

“That’s problematic but putting that aside if you just look at the two on paper, Mr. McMillian is still the more clearly qualified candidate,” said attorney Matthew Scott.

Scott said the department is required in these situations to promote the most qualified candidate.

McMillan’s wife, Sharon, said it’s been tough seeing the disappointment Glover has gone through and said the situation has been “very tough for him.”

FOX4 asked Irving officials for comment multiple times while working on the story, but they did not provide any response to share.