Portland fire chief finalist accepted city job offer, then turned it down

Portland officials’ top pick for a new fire chief accepted a formal job offer from the city earlier this month only to then walk back the decision, The Oregonian/OregonLive has learned.

Reginald Freeman, a former Oakland, Calif. fire chief now working as a private contractor in Saudi Arabia, agreed in writing to the $247,000-a-year position June 17 — the same day the city offered it to him, according to Portland spokesperson Alison Perkins.

Several days later, on June 20, the 46-year-old posted a photo of himself on Instagram holding a cigar and wearing a Portland firefighters union T-shirt and a contemplative look…

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