Ousted Hoboken Fire Chief Returns 4 Years After Removal

HOBOKEN, NJ — Four years after Hoboken's fire chief was suspended by the administration of Mayor Ravi Bhalla, he's back on top.

On Friday, Hoboken Fire Chief Brian Crimmins returned to his post with a letter to the rank and file saying, "The past is behind us." (See the letter below.)

But the city is continuing with its appeal of a state ruling, they said Monday.

'Reckless'

In 2021, the city removed Crimmins from his role for reasons they didn't make public, keeping him on paid leave for 20 months. They eventually brought him back in 2023 at the lowest rank of firefighter.

A state administrative law judge rendered an opinion 12 months ago saying the city didn't have enough evidence to back up their allegations against Crimmins, which were non-criminal and regarding personnel conflicts.

The city continued to appeal the state ruling, telling the courts that "the Fire Department is a paramilitary organization and confidence and trust in leadership is critical," according to a state summary of the city's appeal in February 2025.

A stern letter earlier this month from the chair of the state's Civil Service Commission to the city business administrator, first reported in Patch, said the city must immediately give Crimmins his rank back. READ MORE: Hoboken Threatened For Refusing To Reinstate Demoted Fire Chief

After that letter became public, both candidates in next month's mayoral runoff said the city should comply. READ MORE: Mayoral Candidates Demand Crimmins Be Reinstated

And Mayor Ravi Bhalla blasted them both, saying it was "reckless" for them "to actively interfere, clearly for political reasons, with a personnel matter that impacts the functioning of our Fire Department."

He's Back, For Now

On Friday, Crimmins returned to the spot with a letter to the rank and file.

He said that the firefighter who had been acting as chief in his place — Battalion Chief Anton Peskens — was being moved to an administrative job.

"The past is behind us," he wrote. "What matters now is our shared commitment to rebuilding trust, strengthening teamwork, and upholding the highest standards of integrity and professionalism."

But City Hall said they are still appealing the matter.

"We weren't able to reach a settlement on our pending appeals," said city spokeswoman Marilyn Baer, "so those will be moving forward, but per the direction of Civil Service, the city has reinstated Brian Crimmins as fire chief, effective immediately."

READ MORE: Judge Orders Former Hoboken Fire Chief Reinstated After 2 Years Of Paid Leave

More Background

Crimmins was promoted to the role of chief in 2018, after serving in the Hoboken Fire Department since 2004. He had come from a long line of public safety officials in Hoboken, including his grandfather, for whom the police station on Hudson Street is named. But after college, he went into finance, working for Deutsche Bank before becoming a fireman.

At the time of Crimmins' leave, sources suggested that internal battles and politics had resulted in the city's actions — actions that proved costly to the taxpayers.

Councilman Paul Presinzano introduced a resolution at the council meeting in September to urge the city to comply with the judge's 2024 ruling. Presinzano and council members Russo, Fisher, and Ramos — who are sometime critics of Mayor Ravi Bhalla — voted "yes." Councilmen Phil Cohen, Jim Doyle, and Joe Quintero, who almost never break with Bhalla, voted "no." Jabbour abstained.

New Jersey Office of Administrative Law Judge Susana Guerrero issued the decision in October 2024 addressing the city's allegations and calling for Crimmins to be reinstated, but said it was up to the Civil Service Commission to make a final ruling. In November 2024, the Commission backed up Judge Guerrero's decision, voting for Crimmins to be reinstated.

The city then filed a request for the state to reconsider the ruling, saying there was new information.

"Specifically," the state summarized in February 2025, "it provides that the Acting Fire Chief has expressed his unwillingness to continue in the department if Crimmins is reinstated to Fire Chief, and he certifies that if Crimmins is reinstated there will be leadership instability...Hoboken highlights that a fire department is a paramilitary organization and confidence and trust in leadership is critical."

The state denied the reconsideration. It also said that Crimmins should be reinstated as chief within 30 days.

READ MORE: Hoboken Threatened For Refusing To Reinstate Demoted Fire Chief