ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — St. Lucie County Fire District Attorney Kim Sabol is leaving the department, submitting her 90-day notice Wednesday as the agency faces an ongoing fight with its firefighters’ union over the termination of three employees accused of hazing rookies.

Sabol confirmed she submitted her notice Wednesday. It was not immediately clear whether her departure is connected to the ongoing dispute.

“I’m retiring. My employment agreement requires 90 days’ notice because it’s a 3-year contract,” Sabol told CBS12. “My last work day will be 12/31/2026.”

Sabol has served as the district’s attorney since 2017, advising the Fire Board, fire chief and administration on legal matters including labor and employment issues and collective bargaining.

Her departure comes as Professional Firefighters and Paramedics of St. Lucie County Local 1377 fights the discipline of five firefighters.

The union has formally demanded arbitration for three terminated firefighters and two suspended personnel, arguing there was no just cause for the discipline.

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The firefighters were disciplined after an outside investigation into videos showing senior personnel using a modified bug zapper to administer electric shocks to newer firefighters in incidents in March and September 2024.

Fire District officials called the conduct hazing and said it violated department policies and created a culture of intimidation between senior and junior employees.

The union disagrees.

According to previous reports, Local 1377 President Ryan Sapp said the incidents amounted to consensual station horseplay, pointing to an earlier Fort Pierce Police Department investigation that found no criminal wrongdoing.

“There was no violence. There was no kind of hazing whatsoever, and I could not believe that that’s what was found,” Sapp told CBS12.

The union has also challenged the fairness of the Fire District’s investigation, which was conducted by outside attorney John “J.K.” Keller IV.

Sapp said union attorneys believe the investigation was not impartial and that some questions appeared to be designed to reach a predetermined conclusion.

The union also raised concerns that the law firm involved in the investigation has since been retained by the district for the upcoming arbitration.

Two terminated firefighters, Jordon Hutchinson and Christopher Baldwin, have separately alleged whistleblower retaliation.

The district has declined further comment while the contractual proceedings are ongoing.

Sapp said the union remains willing to negotiate a resolution that could avoid arbitration, but any compromise would need to include reinstatement of the terminated firefighters.

Sabol’s 90-day notice means she is expected to remain with the district during that period unless the terms of her departure change.