Los Angeles Daily News
(TNS)
Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley announced on Thursday, Feb. 27, that she has formally appealed her removal by Mayor Karen Bass, escalating an already contentious political battle.
The uphill fight now shifts to the City Council, where Crowley will need support from at least 10 of 15 council members to be reinstated–an outcome that remains highly uncertain.
“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,” Crowley said in a statement.
Shortly after Crowley’s appeal, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, leader of the 15-member City Council, scheduled a special meeting at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Van Nuys City Hall to hear Crowley’s appeal.
However, later Thursday evening, his office announced that the meeting has been rescheduled to next Tuesday, March 4, at 10 a.m., to allow Crowley, interested parties and Councilmembers adequate time to prepare and attend.
In the media advisory, which was sent just before 9 p.m., Harris-Dawson’s office said that, after receiving Crowley’s appeal, Harris-Dawson had directed city staff to prepare for a special Council meeting. Initiallly, the earliest available time for the meeting was determined to be Friday at 5 p.m.
“While it is in the city’s best interest to hear this matter expeditiously, it is also important to allow the appellant, interested parties, and Councilmembers to be present and prepared for the meeting,” the statement read. “This matter will be heard in City Council on Tuesday, March 4th, at 10:00 a.m.”
Harris-Dawson previously told City News Service that he urged Bass to “separate” from the chief.
“We’re council members, so we don’t agree on everything,” Harris-Dawson told CNS. “I will say, I was one who was encouraging the mayor to separate with the chief weeks ago.”
United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, or UFLAC, the union representing the city’s firefighters, blasted the decision in a statement to media Thursday evening, saying that it’s “outrageous” that the City Council has scheduled a special meeting on just 24-hour notice.
“This is an example of why the public doesn’t trust City Hall and the constant missteps that we have seen our city leaders make since the fires broke out on January 7th,” the union said. “This is not transparent, fair, or just. It’s yet another public blunder coming out of City Hall that makes the people of Los Angeles continue to question the motives and trustworthiness of our city’s leaders.”
Harris-Dawson along with Councilmembers Curren Price, Hugo Soto-Martinez and Adrin Nazarian – stood behind the mayor as she spoke. A couple of other councilmembers, including Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, has publicly indicated their support for Crowley to appeal her removal.
Mayor’s spokesperson Zach Seidl said in a statement Thursday that “former Chief Crowley has the right to appeal her dismissal.”
After the firing, the mayor’s office said Crowley had chosen to exercise “her Civil Service rights to stay with the Fire Department at a lower rank.” However, it remains unclear what position she has been assigned, as the mayor’s office did not directly answer that question Thursday.
The move comes less than a week after Bass announced Crowley’s immediate removal and named former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva, who recently retired, as interim fire chief.
Bass cited Crowley’s refusal to submit an after-action report on the Palisades fire as a key reason for her removal.
The mayor also criticized her handling of staffing decisions, saying that when the Palisades fires broke out on the morning of Jan.7, up to 1,000 firefighters could have been on duty but were instead sent home under Crowley’s leadership.
“Let me be clear: our firefighters acted heroically during the Palisades fire, and they act heroically every single day. That is without question. Bringing new leadership to the fire department is what they and the people of Los Angeles deserve,” Bass said during a Feb. 21 press conference announcing Crowley’s removal.
Under the City Charter, Crowley has 10 calendar days to appeal her firing to the L.A. City Council. The council could overturn Bass’ action if two-thirds of the governing body – meaning 10 of the 15 council members – vote to reverse the mayor’s decision.
The political turmoil has been building for weeks, with Crowley criticizing the city and Bass firing back. In an interview soon after the Eaton and Palisades fires erupted, Crowley said the city had “failed” her and the fire department by making budget cuts that hampered firefighters’ ability to respond to the recent deadly wildfires.
Bass, meanwhile, has reportedly blamed Crowley and others, saying that if she had been properly informed about the severity of last month’s windstorms, she would not have traveled out of the country just days before the first wildfire erupted.
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