LA City Council votes 13-2 against Kristin Crowley's appeal to be reinstated as LAFD chief

At a special meeting Tuesday afternoon, the Los Angeles City Council voted against Kristin Crowley's appeal to be reinstated as LAFD chief, after she was removed by Mayor Karen Bass last month.  

Crowley spoke to the council and said claims that she allegedly refused to conduct an after-action report following the Palisades Fire are false.

"I did not refuse to conduct an after-action report. During our discussions about an after-action report, I advised the fire commissioners about my opinion that was best in regard to how to use LAFD resources," Crowley said to the council. "I said that the LAFD is not capable nor do we have the proper resources to adequately conduct an after-action report for the Palisades Fire."  

She also addressed other accusations made by the mayor that she allegedly sent home about 1,000 firefighters who were sent home when the fire broke out.  

"As for the 1,000 firefighters who were allegedly sent home prior to the fires, we did not have enough apparatus to put them on," Crowley said. "Because of budget cuts and lack of investments in our fleet maintenance, over 100 of our fire engines, fire trucks and ambulances sat broken down in our maintenance yards, unable to be used to help during the worst wildfire events in our history."

Bass announced Crowley's removal at a press conference on Feb. 21, citing her handling of the Palisades Fire response. 

"There's been a tremendous amount of love and outpour from the community and I'm just grateful to have UFLAC (United Firefighters of Los Angeles City) here," Crowley told reporters as she walked into City Hall on Tuesday. "We're going to push and work really hard to get our people what they need to do their jobs."

To overturn Bass' decision, Crowley needed two-thirds of the present council members to vote in her favor. 

Crowley had the support of firefighters and members of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles union.

Several LAFD firefighters spoke during the public comment portion at the council meeting expressing their support for Crowley. They spoke to Crowley's leadership and her dedication to the department and city.

Members of the public also spoke in favor of Bass' decision. They said Crowley should have done more in response to the fires and Bass was justified. 

Bass named former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva as interim fire chief.   

Crowley still works for the fire department after her removal as chief.