New York Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman "should have known better" than to pull a fire alarm in Congress amid potential government shutdown chaos, according to a retired deputy sheriff with 28 years of experience.
Joy Farrow, who spent years in Broward County Sheriff’s Office in South Florida and co-authored "Street Smart Safety for Women," expects better from an elected official.
"Representative Bowman should have known better," Farrow told FOX News Digital.
‘SQUAD’ DEM JAMAAL BOWMAN OFFERS BIZARRE RESPONSE AFTER PULLING FIRE ALARM: ‘OPEN THE DOOR’
Bowman spoke with reporters on Monday about the controversy and insisted his action was a simple mistake. However, Farrow doesn’t buy his claim.
"It is not possible to accidentally pull a fire alarm. They are designed with the word ‘fire alarm’ in red with the handle, in a separate red box that is only for emergencies," she said. "You're taught this from a very young age."
Farrow worked road patrol before transferring to the sheriff’s office following the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 to help secure the Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport. In 2017, she helped with the aftermath of a mass shooting at the airport’s baggage claim. Needless to say, she’s seen it all and believes Bowman not only caused disorder, but also wasted valuable resources.
"When somebody is intentionally pulling a fire alarm, first off, you’re causing panic and people can be injured," Farrow said.
"The resources that are used to send to a fire, police, the fire department, all the people from the building. There's a lot of people involved and a lot of resources that are being wasted," she added. "But they don't know that until they get there and investigate."
BOWMAN DEFENDS FIRE ALARM SCANDAL BY REPEATING TALKING POINT ABOUT BEING 'IN A RUSH' TO VOTE
Bowman, a member of the group of House progressives known as "The Squad," is being investigated by Capitol Police after pulling a fire alarm Saturday morning in one of the House of Representatives’ three office buildings amid the chaos of lawmakers scrambling to avert a government shutdown.
When asked if he fears any repercussions from his actions, Bowman said, "Listen, I take responsibility for what I did, you know, but like I said, I was in a rush to go vote. And, you know, the investigation will sort everything else out."
Bowman is also a former school principal, a tidbit that isn’t lost on Farrow.
"If a student in high school pulled the fire alarm, and they were caught, it's a misdemeanor," she said, noting that the jurisdiction would decide on specific punishment and "disrupting an official proceeding is a felony," so Bowman’s case is even worse than if a student did it.
"It is a serious offense, and every adult knows the only reason to pull the fire alarm, is a fire, if there's smoke, a serious emergency," she said.
Bowman’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Supporters of Bowman, including fellow Squad member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and panelists from ABC News’ "The View," have defended him.
Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
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