By Jose Herrera
City News Service
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – In a contentious and emotional hearing, the Los Angeles City Council denied former Fire Chief Kristin Crowley’s appeal on Tuesday, March 4, of her firing by Mayor Karen Bass over what Bass characterized as leadership failures related to January’s deadly Palisades fire.
Just as fast as her appeal was denied, it was announced by Rob Wilcox, her spokesman, that Crowley’s new title is assistant chief of LAFD’s Operations Valley Bureau. The Valley Bureau, headquartered in Van Nuys, oversees the entire San Fernando Valley.
The council voted 13-2 to sustain Crowley’s termination after she gave a nearly 11-minute speech honoring firefighters and defending her actions during the fire, which burned more than 23,000 acres and killed 12 people.
“I stand before you today, not only as the former fire chief appealing to be reinstated, but as a leader who has always placed the safety, health and well-being of our incredible and heroic firefighters first while always balancing and prioritizing the needs of the community we love to serve,” Crowley said.
In announcing her decision on Feb. 21, Bass questioned the LA Fire Department’s (LAFD) failure to pre-deploy about 1,000 firefighters the morning of Jan. 7, when a dramatic Santa Ana wind event sparked the fire, as well as Crowley’s alleged refusal to prepare an after-action report on the firefight.
She also said Crowley had failed to give her a weather update prior to the historic windstorm as she had done for other potentially dangerous weather events – despite such warnings being widely publicized for several days prior to Jan. 7.
“After testimony by the former chief confirming she sent firefighters home on the morning of Jan. 7, her appeal was rejected 13-2 by members of the City Council,” Zach Seidl, spokesman for Bass, said in a statement Tuesday. “This is an issue of public safety and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department – the city of Los Angeles is moving forward.”
During her remarks, Crowley, who has served with the department for more than 25 years in various roles, said she would “set the record straight.” She refuted the mayor’s claim that she refused to conduct an after-action report, calling it a “false accusation.”
“I recommended simply to collaborate with Gov. [Gavin] Newsom’s already selected and funded agency, the Fire Safety Research Institute or FSRI, because they are already conducting an independent analysis of the wind storm and fire events in the Los Angeles and Ventura counties,” Crowley said.
She said the LAFD lacks the resources to conduct a “proper, thoroughly researched and analyzed” after-action report.
Crowley also insisted that she did not send 1,000 firefighters home nor did she leave 40 available fire engines unmanned. The former chief said the 40 fire trucks were already staffed and running 911 calls with on-duty personnel when the Palisades Fire erupted.
Similarly, she echoed what the union that represents LAFD firefighters – United Firefighters of LA City (UFLAC) Local 112 – has said that there were not enough vehicles for crews. Another 100 fire engines, trucks and ambulances sat “broken down” in LAFD maintenance yards, Crowley explained.
“I have seen our fire department struggle from year to year with limited funding, staffing and resources,” Crowley said. “We are past the point of sustaining our services without compromising public safety and the safety of our firefighters.”
Crowley, who was backed by dozens of union members in the Council Chamber on Tuesday, said that for nearly three years, she has submitted budget requests based on data, reports, analysis and recommendations from outside, independent agencies that show the dire conditions of the department. Since 2010, the department has seen a 55% increase in overall calls for fire and emergency services with fewer firefighters, she added.
She listed several reasons as to why the department is struggling – such as a lack of long-term investments in the LAFD, budget cuts that led to increased response times, a decline in available fire engines, trucks and ambulances and deleted civilian support staff and mechanics, among other challenges.
Crowley also denied that she failed to warn the mayor or her staff about the critical fire danger anticipated on Jan. 7, noting that the mayor’s office even issued public warnings about the Santa Ana wind event.
After her firing, Crowley exercised her civil service right to remain with the LAFD at a lower rank in a different position, which was to be determined by interim LAFD Chief Ronnie Villanueva, who was tapped by Bass to take over from Crowley.
Under the City Charter, Crowley needed the support of 10 of the 15 councilmembers to be reinstated as chief. That number proved difficult to reach. Four councilmembers stood alongside Bass at the Feb. 21 news conference announcing Crowley’s ouster – Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and members Curren Price, Hugo Soto-Martinez and Adrin Nazarian. Councilman Bob Blumenfield also publicly came out in favor of Bass’ decision.
But on Tuesday, Councilmembers Traci Park and Monica Rodriguez, who have spoken out against Crowley’s firing, urged their colleagues to reinstate her as fire chief.
Park, who represents Pacific Palisades, said there are many questions that remain regarding the city’s fire response, and reminded everyone that not a single investigation has been completed.
“As a council, we also unanimously approved an outside, independent after-action review,” Park said. “The fire department and the city should not be investigating itself following the biggest disaster in our city’s history, nor should it be investigated by a commission of political appointees.”
Rodriguez acknowledged the fire department’s critical needs and recognized that it will be a long journey to address them as the city faces a fiscal crisis.
“I believe that it is inherent upon us as leaders to make difficult decisions, whatever the political ramifications are,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t give a damn. I believe it’s important to let the truth prevail, and you shouldn’t disparage or suggest that someone refused to do their job.”
However, after Rodriguez and Park spoke, Councilmembers Imelda Padilla and Tim McOsker spoke in support of Bass’ decision, and it was clear Crowley lacked further support, prompting a quick vote on the matter.
Padilla criticized Crowley for participating in interviews after the fire broke out in which she cited the department’s alleged budget shortfalls, adding “the chief chose the wrong time and the wrong place to raise an issue.”
Bass has come under criticism for her handling of the wildfire, in particular because the mayor went on a diplomatic trip to Ghana days before the fires erupted despite the warnings about anticipated severe wind and fire-danger conditions.
Tensions with Crowley increased upon Bass’ return to the city when Crowley made public comments critical of what she described as the city’s under-funding of the LAFD. That led to a one-on-one meeting between the pair, but no punitive actions were taken against Crowley at the time.
Some Bass supporters argued that criticism of the mayor and her decision to fire Crowley was “rooted in anti-Blackness.” Benjamin Torres, president and chief executive of CD Tech based in South LA, described Tuesday’s hearing as a “political move to cut off Black leadership.”
Meanwhile, UFLAC President Freddy Escobar defended Crowley. He said she had the “guts and courage to speak out, to make sure her troops on the ground have what they need to do their jobs.”
He added, “For the first time, the public and this City Council started paying attention. But her honesty cost her job.”
Following Tuesday’s vote, Crowley issued a statement regarding the outcome.
“Although I am disappointed in the outcome of today’s appeal vote, my heart is full of gratitude for the outpouring of love and support that I received,” Crowley said. “I especially want to thank UFLAC President Freddy Escobar, the many other UFLAC leaders and the members who supported my efforts to shine the light on LAFD’s needs. Standing up, speaking out and advocating for our LAFD firefighters, their families and the communities that we serve will always be the right thing to do.
“It has been an absolute honor of a lifetime to serve and represent the incredible men and women of the LAFD for nearly three years. The LAFD deserves to be properly funded, staffed and resourced so we can meet the ever-changing needs of our communities. We owe that to the LAFD and to those we serve,” her statement continued.