Austin Fire Department captain fired after being accused of timekeeping fraud, other violations

AUSTIN, Texas - The third-highest-ranked woman within the Austin Fire Department has been fired. 

The now former Captain, Chelsea Caloia, was accused of committing timekeeping fraud and other city and departmental policy violations. 

Caloia's attorney believes she was targeted.

What they're saying:

The City of Austin released this statement:

"The Austin Fire Professional Standards Office (PSO), which is responsible for investigating policy violations, received an anonymous report on July 21, 2025, alleging timekeeping fraud by Chelsea Caloia, then a captain in the Prevention Division.

Austin Fire investigators gathered physical and electronic evidence and conducted interviews with Ms. Caloia’s chain of command and her colleagues in the Prevention Division. The findings confirmed allegations of timekeeping fraud as well as violations of numerous city and departmental polices. As a result of her actions, Ms. Caloia was indefinitely suspended on January 30, 2026. Austin Fire is currently implementing an auditing process and is revising our added time and overtime policies to ensure clarity among all divisions.

Austin Fire is committed to ethical public service and being good stewards of city resources. We will continue to uphold ourselves and one another to those standards."

Caloia's attorney released this statement:

"Fire Captain Chelsea Caloia has served the citizens of Austin with honor and distinction for 13 years as a dedicated member of the Austin Fire Department (AFD). Her exemplary record includes receiving a lifesaving award and earning promotion to Captain ahead of many of her peers. Prior to her indefinite suspension, she stood as the third-highest-ranking woman in the department—a testament to her leadership and commitment.

AFD Chief Joel Baker has confirmed that Captain Caloia’s timekeeping practices fully aligned with the department’s standard operating procedures and were approved by leadership. Fire prevention inspections for new construction are billed at fixed, standard rates determined by factors such as building size—not by the actual time spent on site. The underlying issue here is not individual misconduct, but the city’s longstanding practice of systematically overbilling construction contractors for these services. Captain Caloia has previously advocated against overbilling contractors for re-inspections and multi trip fees, demonstrating her integrity and willingness to challenge systemic problems.
Allegations concerning off-duty employment and the use of her assigned department vehicle appear to serve as a distraction—a smokescreen—from the real concerns at hand.

If Captain Caloia has engaged in any impropriety, the same could be said of numerous other firefighters and AFD leaders who have operated under the same policies and practices. She will not be made a scapegoat for the department’s leadership shortcomings. Captain Caloia deserves fair treatment, transparency, and accountability that addresses the broader issues rather than targeting one dedicated public servant."