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TURNS UP THE HEAT - Former Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Chief Kristin Crowley has taken the rare step of formally appealing her dismissal by Mayor Karen Bass, a move that will likely deepen the political fallout surrounding the Palisades Fire disaster.
Crowley’s appeal, submitted to the Los Angeles City Council on Thursday, February 27, challenges her February 21 removal and seeks reinstatement under Los Angeles Charter, Article V, Section 5.08(e). In her message to council members, Crowley wrote:
“I look forward to hearing from you about next steps, if any.”
To overturn Bass’s decision, Crowley must secure 10 out of 15 council votes—a steep challenge given that multiple council members have already sided with the mayor.
Unlikely Path to Reinstatement
The Los Angeles City Charter grants the mayor broad authority to remove department heads without council approval, though dismissed officials can appeal within 10 days.
Crowley faces an uphill battle, as five council members have already backed Bass:
- Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson
- Councilmembers Curren Price, Hugo Soto-Martinez, Adrin Nazarian, and Bob Blumenfield
Blumenfield emphasized that Bass has the right to replace department heads, stating:
“She needs to have the full confidence of her general managers and her chiefs. If she has lost that confidence, she has every right to change out the head of a department.”
In contrast, Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and Traci Park have criticized Crowley’s firing and encouraged her to appeal.
Bass’ Justification for Crowley’s Dismissal
Bass cited multiple leadership failures in Crowley’s response to the January 7 windstorm, which fueled the catastrophic Palisades Fire. Her reasons included:
- Failure to pre-deploy fire engines despite widely publicized extreme wind warnings.
- Alleged refusal to participate in an after-action report on the fire.
- Lack of communication with the mayor about worsening fire conditions—something Bass claimed had been standard protocol for previous major weather events.
- Insufficient deployment of nearly 1,000 firefighters on the morning of the Santa Ana wind event.
Adding to tensions, Crowley appeared on multiple news outlets on January 10, while the Palisades Fire was still burning, criticizing a lack of funding for the LAFD. Blumenfield and others saw this as an inappropriate move during an active crisis.
Political Fallout for Bass
While Bass has defended her decision, she has faced her own criticism over the handling of the wildfire. Key concerns include:
- Her diplomatic trip to Ghana just before the fires erupted, despite severe fire-danger warnings.
- A key water reservoir being out of service for repairs, reducing water pressure in fire-affected areas.
- Inoperable fire hydrants throughout the city, which may have worsened the firefight.
Bass has ordered a state investigation into water infrastructure failures, with Governor Gavin Newsom backing a broader inquiry into fire response issues.
Union Support for Crowley
The United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (UFLAC) Local 112 has strongly opposed Crowley’s firing, calling her a scapegoat. UFLAC President Freddie Escobar refuted Bass’s claims, stating:
“We are outraged at the termination of Fire Chief Crowley. She is being made a scapegoat for telling the truth.”
Escobar also disputed the claim that Crowley refused to conduct an after-action report, explaining that an independent investigation was already underway through the Fire Safety Research Institute, authorized by Governor Newsom.
Additionally, Escobar pointed to firefighter shortages and equipment limitations, stating:
“We had more members willing to participate than we had seats to put those members in because we didn’t have enough engines or trucks.”
What’s Next for Crowley?
Although reinstatement appears unlikely, Crowley retains her civil service rights and will remain with the LAFD in a lower-ranking position, to be determined by interim Chief Ronnie Villanueva.
With the City Council now involved, the appeal process could further expose divisions over fire department funding, leadership accountability, and emergency preparedness, keeping the controversy in the public eye.
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