Kristin Crowley, former LA fire chief, appeals dismissal by Mayor Bass
Former LAFD Chief Crowley appeals removal
Former Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley is appealing Mayor Karen Bass' decision to remove her as chief.
LOS ANGELES - Former LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley is appealing her termination to the Los Angeles City Council.
The backstory:
Crowley was fired on February 21 by Mayor Karen Bass over her handling of the recent LA wildfires. During a press conference, Bass said Crowley was asked by the fire commissioner to complete an after-action report on the wildfires. Crowley allegedly refused to do the report, so Bass said she terminated her.
RELATED: LA fire chief said dept. was lacking resources months before LA wildfires
Crowley Appeals Dismissal
On Thursday, Crowley officially filed her appeal to the city council.
"Today I notified the City Council of my appeal as provided for in Los Angeles Charter, Article V, Section 5.08(e), due to Mayor Bass’s removal of me, on February 21, 2025, from the position of Fire Chief of the Los Angeles City Fire Department," a statement from Crowley read.
Under the city charter, Crowley would need the support of 10 of the council's 15 members to be reinstated as chief.
That could be a difficult number to reach. Four council members stood alongside Bass last Friday at a news conference announcing Crowley's ouster -- Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and members Curren Price, Hugo Soto- Martinez and Adrin Nazarian. Councilman Bob Blumenfield has also publicly come out in favor of Bass' decision.
Mayor Bass defends firing LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley
Mayor Karen Bass is defending her move to remove Kristin Crowley as LA Fire Chief amid rising tensions with city leaders.
At least two council members -- Monica Rodriguez and Traci Park -- have spoken out against Crowley's firing and encouraged her to appeal the decision.
Rodriguez released a statement saying, "I applaud former Chief Crowley’s commitment to transparency. It is critical that we uphold accountability at all levels of government and ensure that the public has a full and accurate understanding of claims cited against her."
Immediately after Crowley was fired, Rodriguez also released a statement that read, "Chief Crowley remains the most qualified member of the LA City Fire Department that earned her well deserved appointment as Fire Chief. I am outraged by the scapegoating revealed by the Mayor's actions. I plan to use my authority as a Councilmember to set the record straight and encourage Chief Crowley to appeal the Mayor's baseless termination to the City Council. The public deserves a full account of every single leadership failure that has taken place."
LA city council president discusses firing of Kristin Crowley
Marqueece Harris-Dawson, president of the LA City Council, spoke to FOX 11 about the hiring of fire chief Kristin Crowley and the appeal she filed. It would require 10 votes from the council to approve the appeal. Harris-Dawson said the council is looking forward to moving on and working with the interim chief soon.
Several firefighters and the union that represents the city's firefighters have also spoken in support of Crowley and say she should be reinstated.
What they're saying:
The group, Los Angeles Women in the Fire Service, sent a letter to Mayor Bass, LA City Council, and the Board of Fire Commissioners demanding Crowley be reinstated as chief.
The letter stated that Bass' removal of Crowley was "inaccurate, and a blatant attempt to shift blame to where it does not belong."
RELATED:
- LA firefighters demand Kristin Crowley be reinstated as chief
- Ex-LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley issues statement after removal
"It's a shame that the mayor doesn't support our fire chief because if she doesn't support our fire chief, how does she support us as firefighters out in the field protecting the citizens of Los Angeles?" said LAFD Firefighter Paramedic Tanya Crabbe, who also serves as the interim president of the Los Angeles Women in the Fire Service. "I believe the mayor is taking blame away from herself and trying to place it on Chief Kristin Crowley."
Firefighters demand former chief be reinstated
A group of firefighters say the firing of former LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley was unjust and perhaps retaliatory, and are demanding she get her job back.
Turmoil after the LA wildfires
Dig deeper:
Mayor Bass was heavily criticized for being out of the country when the Palisades and Eaton fires broke out on Jan. 7. She was in Ghana as part of a four-member U.S. delegation sent by President Joe Biden to attend the inauguration of John Dramani Mahama as that nation's president.
Bass returned to Los Angeles the day after the fires erupted. Many criticized her for the lack of response during the wildfires and for leaving the country during LA's time of need.
In her first sit-down TV interview since the fires erupted, Bass told FOX 11 that Fire Chief Kristin Crowley did not call to warn her in advance of the trip and didn't do the "normal preparations" for this kind of wind event. Bass told FOX 11 that no advance warnings were given to her prior to leaving.
Many critics of Bass say she is pushing the blame away from herself and using Crowley as a scapegoat.