Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has started the appeal process after Mayor Karen Bass fired her a week ago. Crowley announced her decision to appeal to City Council members, citing her removal from the position of Fire Chief of the Los Angeles City Fire Department. Mayor Bass stated that she was removing Crowley after last month’s Palisades Fire and appointing former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva as interim fire chief. Crowley’s appeal will require a vote of at least 10 of 15 members in her favor. It remains unclear how the vote will go as four council members stood behind Bass during the announcement of Crowley’s removal.
Bass stated that she made the decision to fire Crowley in the best interest of Los Angeles public safety and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department. She highlighted instances where Crowley’s actions were called into question, such as sending 1,000 firefighters home when they could have been on duty at the time wildfires broke out. The President of the Fire Commission also asked Crowley to conduct an after-action report on the fires, which she refused. The union representing city firefighters, Local 112, believes that the reasons for Crowley’s termination were manufactured and that she was fired for telling the truth. They have expressed support for Crowley and vowed to fight for her right to set the record straight.
The decision to schedule a special council meeting to hear Crowley’s appeal with only 24-hour notice has raised concerns about transparency and fairness among city leaders. The union described it as yet another public blunder from City Hall that erodes trust in Los Angeles leaders. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the appeal vote, Councilmember Bob Blumenfield believes in the mayor’s right to hire and fire department heads. The Los Angeles City Charter allows the mayor to remove department heads without council approval but also grants the fired employee the right to appeal the decision to the council with the possibility of reinstatement.
Crowley’s appeal will be discussed at a special council meeting scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m., and it requires at least 10 members to vote in her favor. City Council members have been urged to consider the implications of their vote and to ensure transparency and fairness in the decision-making process. The public support for Crowley from the union representing city firefighters underscores the divide within the community and the importance of addressing concerns about leadership and accountability. The outcome of the appeal process will have far-reaching implications for the Los Angeles City Fire Department and the future of public safety in the city.
