The former Oak Bluffs fire chief who previously resigned in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal has been suspended from his new job as a firefighter in West Tisbury.

The West Tisbury fire department placed John Rose on indefinite suspension in mid-December, after a court granted a harassment prevention order against the former chief. Mr. Rose had served as the Oak Bluffs chief for about seven years before resigning in 2020.

According to records in the Edgartown district court, a man sought a harassment prevention order against Mr. Rose on Dec. 4. Details of the case were not available because the court file, including the court order and an affidavit to support the request, was impounded, according to the court clerk’s office. The Gazette does not ordinarily name those seeking harassment orders.

The court granted the order, and later extended it through Dec. 6, 2024.

West Tisbury fire chief Gregory Pachico Monday said the department placed Mr. Rose on indefinite suspension without stipends after learning of the allegations and Mr. Rose remains off the firefighting force.

Mr. Rose has not challenged the suspension, Mr. Pachico said. Mr. Rose also did not contest the order to extend his harassment prevention order, according to court documents.

Mr. Pachico said he was unaware of the harassment prevention order until questioned by members of the press. He then confronted Mr. Rose, who confirmed that allegations had been levied against him, Mr. Pachico said.

The department then turned to the town’s attorney, who advised suspending Mr. Rose.

The harassment prevention order is not connected to Mr. Rose’s service in the department, according to Mr. Pachico.

Mr. Rose’s attorney Mark Miliotis declined to comment Monday.

In 2019, the town of Oak Bluffs agreed to settle sexual harassment and discrimination claims against Mr. Rose. The town ended up paying $97,500 to a former department administrator who claimed she was harassed by Mr. Rose.

The Oak Bluffs fire department had also been investigated by the FBI for its ambulance billing practices during Mr. Rose’s tenure.

The West Tisbury fire department decided to give Mr. Rose a second chance after his departure from the Oak Bluffs force, Mr Pachico said, and he was hired to work as a firefighter in 2022.

Mr. Rose has not been charged with any crimes in court and a spokesperson for the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office said they were unaware of any pending criminal matters.

A harassment prevention order can mandate someone to not physically assault or threaten another person. The orders can also require a defendant to stay a specific number of feet away from a person and forbid any contact with them.