Delaware Paramedic Supervisor Makes Ethnic Slurs

Slideshow: Paramedic Supervisor In Hot Water | Video: Hear The Message (Edited Version)

A voice mail message has landed a Delaware man at the center of a political firestorm.

The man, who was not identified by name, called a New Castle County councilman and allegedly left ethnic slurs on a voice mail message, and the caller said he was a supervisor in the county's paramedic department.

The man's bosses know who he is, because the man also left his name. NBC 10 obtained a copy of the voicemail.

The affair began when a New Castle County councilman made harsh comments to a local newspaper about the lack of minorities on the paramedic force.

The man, who was a paramedic supervisor, was then caught on tape criticizing the councilman's comments when he was apparently unaware that he hadn't hanged up his phone.

"There was a conversation with two people after he left a message for me to return the call," said the councilman, Jea Street.

"You gotta give him a little benefit of the doubt," the caller could be heard saying on the voicemail. "But if he 'fesses up to everything in there, it's both barrels, baby.'"

The conversation then continues with the man saying, "Here's another little tidbit: They don't want to do this."

Street said he interpreted the conversation as the men saying that culturally, minorities do not want to do paramedic work, because they don't want to go through the training.

The men could also be heard making some racial generalizations.

"The conversation between obviously leaders within the paramedic division is just indicative of the problem that I've talked about on Monday," Street said. "It's proof that there is a serious problem that has to be addressed."

The county executive said he believes the tape is an embarrassing step backward, and said he would handle the investigation personally.

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