At a press conference Friday morning, Mayor Karen Bass shared that she met with Fire Chief Kristin Crowley and removed her from the position.
The firing follows criticism from the mayor who claims that Crowley underplayed the threat of a potentially hazardous situation and failed to warn the mayor earlier of the severity of the conditions in the Palisades.
Bass shared that in the past when there was an impending natural disaster or a hint of a possible weather emergency, the chief called her directly. However, this time that did not happen.
Additionally, the mayor noted that 1,000 firefighters could have been on duty the morning the fires broke out, but instead, Crowley allowed them to go home.
When the fires began Bass was in Ghana attending a presidential inauguration. When criticized for her decision to travel, she told KABC she had not been properly notified of the potential severity of the fire hazard. However, her critics argue she could have been more aware of the danger.
Bass also noted Crowley’s failure to file an action report after a request from the fire commission president.
Los Angeles City Council Member Monica Rodriguez spoke to KTLA sharing her support for Crowley. Rodriguez said that she believes Bass is “scapegoating” Crowley and using faulty justification for her removal.
In particular, Rodriguez said Crowley’s resistance to filing an action report was not a fair criticism and the usual procedure is to file the report within a week.
For now, Crowley has opted to remain with the fire department in a lower rank, exercising her civil service rights. In the meantime, Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva, a 41-year department veteran, will serve as the interim chief.
“Los Angeles needs to move forward. This is a new day. I am excited to welcome our new chief, who was a 41-year veteran of this fire department. He is well known. He is well-liked,” said Bass.
Turmoil over this issue remains as the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City fiercely rally for Crowley’s reinstatement.
In a statement over the weekend, Crowley shared “[it has] been an absolute honor to represent and lead the men and woman of one of the greatest fire departments in the world.”