Kristin Crowley appeals Mayor Karen Bass' decision to remove her as fire chief
In a letter to the Los Angeles City Council, Kristin Crowley filed her formal appeal to reverse Mayor Karen Bass' decision to remove her as fire chief.
"I look forward to hearing from you about next steps, if any," former Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said.
The City Council scheduled a meeting for the appeal on Tuesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. To overturn the removal, Crowley would need two-thirds of the present council members to vote in her favor.
"That would mean 10 out of 15 members would need to vote in support of the fire chief," said Sara Sadhwani, a politics professor at Pomona College.
Following Crowley's letter to appeal, Bass' office released a short statement.
"Former Chief Crowley has the right to appeal her dismissal," spokesperson Zach Seidl said.
Bass announced her decision to remove Crowley as chief last Friday, Feb. 21. She cited that she was "acting in the best interests of Los Angeles' public safety" following the disastrous Palisades Fire, which destroyed 6,837 structures and became the third-most destructive wildfire in California history. Crowley received criticism after 1,000 firefighters were allowed to go home instead of remaining on duty.
When combining the damages from the Eaton and Palisades fires, Los Angeles County suffered property and capital losses of up to $164 billion, according to a UCLA study.
"Acting in the best interests of Los Angeles' public safety, and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department, I have removed Kristin Crowley as Fire Chief," Bass said in a statement. "We know that 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Chief Crowley's watch."
Crowley's LA County Fire Department counterpart, Chief Anthony Marone, said in a January 60 Minutes interview that 26,000 fire engines, let alone 1,000 firefighters, would have stopped the flames from spreading.
Bass also stated during a Friday afternoon press conference that she ousted Crowley because she refused to conduct an after-action report after the Palisdes Fire.
Her decision followed reported turmoil between the mayor and fire chief following the Palisades Fire. About a month before the Palisades Fire broke out, Crowley sent a memo to the Board of Fire Commissioners that budget cuts "have adversely affected the Department's ability to maintain core operations." Budget cuts and the department's ability to fight the fires were points of contention while the fires were burning.
The two appeared to be unified after speculation of the chief's firing days after the fire erupted.
In a statement released a day after her ousting, Crowley said she was "extremely proud" of her LAFD personnel, defended her decisions and described her 25-year career with LAFD as an "absolute honor."
"As the Fire Chief, I based my actions and decisions on taking care of our firefighters so that they could take care of our communities," Crowley said in the statement. "Serving others before self, having the courage and integrity to do what is right, and leading with compassion, love and respect have guided me throughout my career."
The United Firefighters of Los Angeles City president sternly criticized Mayor Karen Bass for her decision to remove Kristin Crowley as Los Angeles Fire Department chief, calling her a "scapegoat."
"On behalf of the firefighters I represent, I am here to say we are outraged at the termination of fire Chief Crowley, period," said President Freddy Escobar. "In our opinion, Chief Crowley is being made a scapegoat, and she is being terminated for telling the truth."
Bass appointed former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva as interim fire chief last Friday. Villanueva served with the LAFD for 41 years before retiring in September 2024.
