TOLLESON — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has sued the city of Tolleson over a policy that charges new firefighters $15,000 if they leave within three years, KTAR News reported.
The lawsuit argues the fee is an illegal penalty meant to keep underpaid firefighters from moving to better-paying Valley departments, and asks a judge to block enforcement while the case proceeds. The city says the charge recovers the cost of recruiting, training and equipping new hires.
The state notes that Glendale, which runs the fire academy Tolleson recruits attend, charges no more than $4,500 per recruit.
The case centers on firefighter Sean Krienke, who left for the Goodyear Fire Department in August 2025. Tolleson kept $2,473 from his final paycheck and billed him $8,776 more, the suit says. “They should not be trapped in a job by a $15,000 bill,” Mayes said.
Sources: KTAR News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Andrew Dunn / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
