Proposal videotaped, firefighter fired

OTSEGO, Mich., Oct. 25 (UPI) -- An Otsego. Mich., firefighter says he may have lost his job because he was perceived as a potential whistleblower over a staged police traffic stop.

Otsego volunteer firefighter Michael Bush raised questions about a marriage proposal by an on-duty Otsego police officer using a Plainwell, Mich., squad car. He made the statement while being questioned concerning he and firefighter Jeffrey Knight responding to an emergency call while at a picnic, the Kalamazoo Gazette reported Monday.

Neither firefighter had a vehicle with a siren, so they took the truck owned by a colleague. They returned the truck 15 minutes later, undamaged. Later Bush was notified he was fired for missing a meeting to discuss his use of the truck.

Earlier Bush had brought up the Aug. 21 marriage proposal by Otsego firefighter Kevin Brainard, who also works as a Plainwell police officer.

Brainard's girlfriend was in a car driven by a friend when they were pulled over in a ruse by Jon Campbell, an Otsego police officer, who said they had a broken tail light.

Then Brainard arrived in a police car that had dashboard videotaping ability and recorded his proposal.