Police officer caught on camera handcuffing a FIREFIGHTER as he was rescuing victims of a rollover crash on the side of a busy highway

• Firefighter Jacob Gregoire, 36, was cuffed and held in a California Highway patrol squad car for 30 minutes after he refused to move his firetruck
• Fire officials insist the 12 year veteran was following his training and parked the truck in a manner meant to shield all persons at the scene - including police - from busy traffic 
• The incident comes after multiple battles between police and fire crews in southern California

By RYAN GORMAN

A long-simmering feud between San Diego-area fire departments and police came to a head Tuesday when an officer handcuffed a firefighter for not moving his truck as he was trying to rescue victims from an accident. 

Video from the accident scene shows a California Highway Patrol officer arresting Chula Vista firefighter Jacob Gregoire, 36, after refusing to move a fire truck positioned to shield rescue workers and accident victims from fast moving traffic along the side of a busy freeway. 

The unidentified CHP officer cuffed the first responder and put him in the back of a squad car for 30 minutes, according to CBS 8, which also reported that CHP officers and firefighters have battled over accident scene protocol in the past.

Shocking arrest: Firefighter Jacob Gregoire was arrested for not moving a fire truck while trying to rescue victims of a rollover accident

Veteran firefighter: Jacob Gregoire has been with the Chula Vista Fire Department for 12 years

Radio communication obtained by ABC 10 showed how shocked firefighters were at the sight of an emergency responder being cuffed and led away from the scene of a serious accident while trying to help the injured.

'I did not move our engine so it's still in the initial spot, and we're just continuing with patient care,' a firefighter told the dispatcher.

'This is ridiculous. We're in the middle of patient care with patients on the [freeway] and we're trying to protect our scene … and they're putting him in handcuffs at this time and walking him away.'

Chula Vista Fire Chief Dave Hanneman agreed.

‘To detain one of our firefighters in the middle of an incident is ridiculous,’ he said in a statement. 

Gregoire shouted to the news camera that he was being arrested as the officer searched his coat and pulled out handcuffs. 

‘Hey, I just want you to know that he’s arresting me,’ Gregoire said, pointing to the officer. 

‘It’s unbelievable you have to do this,’ the officer said while cuffing the 12 year veteran firefighter. 

‘It’s unbelievable that you guys have to treat us like this,’ Gregoire replied. ‘We are on the road trying to help people.’ 

‘We asked you to clear the road and you said no, and you are getting arrested for not moving it,’ said the officer. 

Shocking arrest: Firefighter Jacob Gregoire was arrested for not moving a fire truck while trying to rescue victims of a rollover accident

Still not resolved: Colleagues continued to administer first aid as Gregoire was taken away

The officer is then seen leading Gregoire away while his colleagues continue to tend to the victims of the rollover crash. He was held in the back of the police car for about 30 minutes.

A CHP spokesperson told the station that Gregoire’s fire truck was the only was the only one out of three not moved in compliance with the officer’s request, but fire officials say he was within his rights to not move the truck.

‘My engineers and all the crews did exactly what they're trained to do,’ Hanneman told the station.

Fire officials also said the police officer also ordered a fire truck with an on duty paramedic to leave before first aid was finished being administered.

Two people were injured after their Ford mustang hit the barrier, overturned and landed in a construction site, according to ABC 10, their conditions are not known.

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