Wildfires: What to Know
- Citing leadership failures during the LA wildfires, Mayor Karen Bass dismissed LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley Feb. 21.
- In accordance with the city charter, Crowley has filed an appeal that will be heard Tuesday by the Los Angeles City Council.
- Ten of the council’s 15 members would need to side with Crowley for the 25-year department veteran to be reinstated.
- The last time the council heard an appeal like Crowley’s was in 2005 for an animal services manager, according to the city clerk’s office.
Former Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley will go before the City Council Tuesday to make her case that she should be reinstated after her firing a week ago by Mayor Karen Bass.
Bass’ announcement Feb. 21 drew public reaction from only a few on the 15-member panel, but it remains unclear how any plan to vote after Crowley appeals her termination next week at a special meeting as allowed under the city charter. Crowley would need 10 council members to side with her to be reinstated, according to the city charter.
Bass dismissed Crowley, who remains with the department at a lower rank, for what the mayor deemed to be failures of leadership during Los Angeles’ January fires, including the deadly Palisades Fire on the Los Angeles County coast.
The council originally planned to hear Crowley’s appeal Friday, a short timeline that drew criticism from the firefighters union. The special meeting was delayed to Tuesday morning.
The last time the council heard an appeal like Crowley’s was in 2005 for an animal services manager, according to the city clerk’s office.
“I would ask everybody in the public to have some consideration that the staff who is working on this, this is not something they do on a regular basis,” said Council President Marqueece Harris Dawson. “So, we’re figuring it out. We’re figuring out all the applicable law, and so on and so forth.”
Background
As for the outcome of the appeal, council members who spoke to NBCLA Friday did not indicate how they would vote.
The 10-vote bar could be a tough one to meet. Four council members stood with Bass when she announced the firing on Friday at City Hall. Another member publicly announced support Tuesday.
Two have publicly stated opposition to the mayor’s decision.
“There is a crisis of confidence in city government, and I see it every day with my constituents,” Councilmember Traci Park, whose district includes Pacific Palisades, said Tuesday. “It was not well thought out and has resulted in division on the council when we should be focused on the recovery.”
Park had called for Crowley to appeal the decision, as had council member Monica Rodriguez, of the San Fernando Valley.
Why was Crowley Fired?
Bass dismissed Crowley, who remains with the department at a lower rank, for what the mayor deemed to be failures of leadership during Los Angeles’ January fires, including the deadly Palisades Fire on the Los Angeles County coast.
Crowley has said the budget cuts impacted mechanics and mainly affected fire engines and ambulances that needed repair.
One of the complaints the mayor identified in firing Crowley was that she refused to provide an after-action probe, requested by the city’s civilian fire commission, into the fire response.
What’s Next?
Crowley will make her case to the City Council on Tuesday to be reinstated. If she is successful, she will return to her position as fire chief. If not, she will remain with the department at a lower rank.
Conclusion
The outcome of the appeal is uncertain, but one thing is clear: the city of Los Angeles is divided on the issue of Chief Kristin Crowley’s termination. The city council will have the final say, but for now, the fate of the fire chief remains uncertain.
FAQs
- Why was Chief Kristin Crowley fired?
- Crowley was fired for what the mayor deemed to be failures of leadership during Los Angeles’ January fires, including the deadly Palisades Fire on the Los Angeles County coast.
- What is the process for appealing her termination?
- Crowley has filed an appeal that will be heard by the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday.
- How many votes does Crowley need to be reinstated?
- Crowley needs 10 council members to side with her to be reinstated.
