Hillsborough County Fires Emergency Management Director Amid Retaliation Probe
Hillsborough County has fired its emergency management director, Timothy Dudley Jr., following an HR probe that found issues of retaliation and high employee turnover within his department. The investigation, which began with a single employee complaint, revealed a pattern of…
Tampa St. Petersburg, FL, August 5, 2026 —
Hillsborough County has terminated the employment of its Emergency Management Director, Timothy Dudley Jr., after an internal Human Resources investigation uncovered findings of retaliation and significant employee turnover within the department.
The investigation was initiated following a complaint from a single employee. Subsequent findings indicated a pattern of alleged behavior by Dudley that included interference with the review process and the creation of an unstable work environment. While Dudley received initial praise for his leadership during demanding hurricane seasons, departmental records reflect a substantial number of staff departures during his time as director. Employees who left the department reportedly cited fear of retribution and a hostile work atmosphere as contributing factors.
In response to the investigation’s conclusions, Dudley reportedly denied fostering a hostile environment. His statement attributed the stress experienced by staff to organizational transitions.
The county has named Fire Rescue Chief Jason Dougherty to serve as the interim director of Emergency Management. Officials have stated that the transition in leadership is not expected to cause any interruption to services, particularly as the region approaches the peak of hurricane season.
Details regarding the specific timeframe of the HR probe or the exact number of employee departures were not immediately available.
Story summarized from the original created by By Michaela Mulligan, Times staff,By Bethany Barnes, Times staff on www.tampabay.com, see more information here.
