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Denver Fire Chief Eric Tade resigned from the department on Monday following the annual Firefighters Ball during which a sex toy was raffled off and posed with in numerous photos during the event—for the second year in a row. “It’s the right time to step back and bring in new leadership to implement new strategies and a fresh perspective to foster continued improvement,” Tade said in a statement. “That’s what the men and women of this department deserve.” The reason for his departure was not immediately disclosed, but sources told CBS4 Denver that his resignation is linked to the fallout from last Saturday’s gala, which was branded as “the night of your life.” A sex toy was also reportedly raffled off at the gala last year and similar photos surfaced featuring firefighters posing with the toy. Chief Tade described the behavior last year as “completely inappropriate.”
