The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday denied former L.A. Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley’s appeal of her dismissal in a 13-2 vote.
Councilmembers Traci Park and Monica Rodriguez were the only two votes in favor of her reinstatement. Crowley needed 10 of the 15 council members to be reinstated, and the majority was unwilling to overrule the mayor’s statutory power to dismiss any appointee with or without cause.
Mayor Karen Bass fired Crowley on Feb. 21, citing the “best interests of Los Angeles public safety,” and criticized her handling of the Palisades Fire.
According to Bass, Crowley decided to send about 1,000 firefighters home on the morning the Palisades Fire broke out on Jan. 7, despite dire warnings from the National Weather Service about extreme fire danger due to hurricane-force Santa Ana winds in the forecast. Bass also claimed Crowley refused to do an after-action report on the fire department’s response.
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L.A. County Fire City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley speaks at a press conference addressing the fires in LA County, in downtown Los Angeles, on January 16, 2025. (Photo by Katie McTiernan/Anadolu via Getty Images) -
An aerial view shows the devastation left by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) -
An aerial view shows the devastation from the Palisades Fire on beachfront homes Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) -
Firefighters watch as water is dropped on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
During Tuesday’s hearing, Crowley denied those assertions and said they were part of the “multiple false accusations” leveled against her.
Crowley said the LAFD did not have the resources to conduct an after-action report on the Palisades Fire “due to the sheer magnitude, scope and complexity of the incident.” She claims she recommended that the LAFD collaborate with independent investigators instead of performing its own investigation.
“I did not refuse to conduct an after-action report,” Crowley said. “Let me be clear: This is a false accusation.”
She also refuted accusations that she “sent home” about 1,000 firefighters and that she left 40 available fire engines unstaffed on the morning that the Palisades Fire began. Crowley stated that more than 100 engines and other vehicles were broken down at the time, and there simply was not enough apparatus to support the 1,000 firefighters.
Tuesday morning’s hearing was Crowley’s first public appearance since her dismissal.
Rodriguez, a vocal supporter of Crowley who has called her firing “scapegoating,” said it was the council’s job to examine the reasoning behind Crowley’s firing.
“I’m not questioning whether or not the mayor has the authority to hire and fire general managers — that’s clear,” she said. “Just as an independently elected body of the legislative branch has the opportunity for us to consider the merits of the petitioning of this employee to overturn that decision. We also have a role … I’m not going to apologize for doing my job.”
Park, the other council member who voted to support the former fire chief, questioned the motive behind her firing before the completion of any investigations into the handling of the Palisades Fire.
“Accountability doesn’t just stop with one person or one department,” Park said. “We need to let invested independent investigations guide our actions. Not the politics.”
Meanwhile, Councilmember Tim McOsker said he questioned how Bass and Crowley would be able to work together if the reinstatement went through.
“With a very, very, very heavy heart, I will say that I will put the goal of public safety and a function city in front of what might be more politically expedient for me. Because sometimes we need to risk our jobs to do our jobs,” McOskar said. “With a very heavy heart, I’m going to support the power of the mayor in this matter and say that, very often, doing the right thing comes with a sacrifice.”
Councilmember Imelda Padilla shared similar sentiments.
“It’s important that we remember that true public safety will require our mayor to be able to get along with all of her chiefs and all of her general managers,” she said. “Sometimes it’s okay to agree to disagree.”
Mayor Bass’s office issued a brief statement after Crowley’s firing was upheld.
“After testimony by the former Chief confirming she sent firefighters home on the morning of January 7th, her appeal was rejected 13-2 by members of the City Council,” a spokesperson said. “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.”
Now, L.A. will conduct a national search for a new chief, and retired Deputy Chief Ronnie Villanueva is serving as the interim chief.
