During Women’s History Month, a political spectacle involving Los Angeles’ top female trailblazers was on full public display Tuesday as former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, fired by Mayor Karen Bass, lost her appeal to be reinstated despite efforts spearheaded by two female councilmembers.
After being terminated by LA’s first female mayor on Feb. 21, Crowley, a 25-year veteran with the LAFD and the department’s first female chief, made her case in appealing Bass’ decision during the city council meeting Tuesday, claiming that “multiple false accusations” were made against her.
Among them, Crowley said Bass’ claim that the former LAFD chief refused to participate in an after-action report on the Palisades and Eaton wildfires was not true.
“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 due to the sheer magnitude, scope and complexity of the incident,” she said during the council meeting.
Crowley also disputed the mayor’s claim that 1,000 firefighters were sent home under Crowley’s leadership when the Palisades Fire broke out on Jan. 7.
Until Tuesday’s vote, it was not entirely clear how the city council would decide on Crowley’s appeal although Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez, the longest-serving female member of the council, and Traci Park, who represents the Pacific Palisades area, hinted their support for the former LAFD chief.
Rodriguez, who indeed voted Tuesday to support Crowley’s reinstatement, said the public battle between the two women who are groundbreakers in their fields of public service was “really tough to watch.”
“Happy Women’s History Month. I never thought that this would be the kind of history that we would be making today,” Rodriguez said, applauding Crowley for having ascended the ranks within the LAFD on “a career path that many women have never been welcomed to be part of for many, many years.”
Rodriguez said putting the sole responsibility for LA’s response to the fires on Crowley was unfair and unjustified, especially when the process of conducting the after-report did not begin.
“To suggest an unwillingness to cooperate, for me, ran amiss from procedurally how these after action reports are conducted,” the councilmember, who represents the San Fernando Valley areas, said. “(It)’s problematic and disparaging of a well-documented and decorated career for an individual that has honorably served this city for nearly 30 years”
Councilmember Park, whose constituents were directly impacted by the Palisades Fire, said there was no “actual” evidence to support that Crowley was solely responsible for the fire response.
“Firing everyone who has culpability across multiple departments, I have no problem with that,” Park said. “Accountability doesn’t just stop with one person or one department. We need to let independent investigations guide our actions, not the politics.”
All other 13 members of the city council sided with Bass to reject Crowley’s appeal.
Crowley had needed 10 council members to side with her to be reinstated, according to the city charter.
By publicly taking the opposing side against Mayor Bass and supporting Crowley, Rodriguez said she is prepared for possible consequences.
“Whatever the political ramifications are, I don’t give a damn.”
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