Latest news with #LosAngelesCharter
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fired LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley's Appeals Abrupt Dismissal
The former Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department Kristin Crowley, who was abruptly fired last week, has notified the city that she plans to appeal her dismissal in a letter to the City Council, whose members could vote to reinstate her. In a letter sent Thursday via email to the City Council Crowley wrote "I choose to proceed with the Council appeal provided for in Los Angeles Charter, Article V, Section 5.08(e), due to Mayor Bass' removal of me on February 21, 2025, from the position of Fire Chief of the Los Angeles City Fire Department."Under the city charter, the City Council would need the approval of 10 of 15 City Council members to overturn Bass and have scheduled a hearing for Tuesday, March 4, to hear Crowley's appeal. It's unclear if the City Council has the numbers necessary to support Crowley after four council members stood alongside Bass last Friday at a news conference announcing the Chief was out: Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Councilmembers Curren Price, Hugo Soto-Martinez and Adrin Nazarian. A fifth Councilmember, Bob Blumenfield, has also publicly come out in favor of Bass' Councilmembers Traci Park, who spent time in the burn zones with the former Chief, and Monica Rodriguez, have publicly supported reinstating Crowley. Mayor Karen Bass announced that she was replacing Crowley, the city's first female chief, on Feb. 21, a day after LAFD officials clapped back against the city leader's claims that the department was not adequately prepared for the wildfires that began to roar across Los Angeles County last month. Bass, who was in Ghana on a diplomatic mission when the first of an unrelenting torrent of catastrophic wildfires sparked in the Pacific Palisades just after 10:30 a.m. Jan. 7. Later that night, as firefighters waged a ferocious battle against the Palisades Fire, another deadly and devastating blaze exploded at 6:18 p.m. in Altadena. Crowley and her members say their efforts were hindered by budget cuts that left fire trucks out of service and water supply issues after hydrants in the Pacific Palisades that ordinarily supplied by a city reservoir that was closed for repairs were tapped Bass insists that Crowley more should have been done to prepare after the National Weather Service announced that life-threatening Santa Ana winds were on the way, sparking red flag wildfire warnings. The mayor left Los Angeles on Jan. 4, two days after the NWS began issuing warnings about the ferocity of the predicted Santa Ana winds. She was part of a four-member U.S. delegation sent by President Joe Biden to attend the inauguration of John Dramani Mahama, the nation's new president, who has been heavily criticized for his stance opposing LGBTQ+ rights. Crowley is the city's first female and openly gay Fire Department returned to the city on a military plane Jan. 8 as fire hurricanes continued to rip through homes and businesses. The mayor has appointed an Interim Chief, Ronnie Villanueva, a 41-year LAFD veteran who retired as Deputy Chief.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kristin Crowley appeals Los Angeles mayor's decision to terminate her as LAFD chief
Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has started the appeal process following Mayor Karen Bass' decision to fire her a week ago. Her decision to appeal comes after Bass' decision has spun up criticism from City Councilmembers and the public for what they say is "misrepresenting the facts." Crowley announced the appeal to City Council members on Thursday. "I choose to proceed with the Council appeal 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," read Crowley's note. "I look forward to hearing from you about next steps, if any." Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Sacks Fire Chief Who Said City Failed Residents In Wildfires Bass announced that she was firing Crowley after last month's devastating Palisades Fire and appointing former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva, a 41-year LAFD veteran, as interim fire chief. She said it was in the best interest of Los Angeles. Read On The Fox News App "Acting in the best interests of Los Angeles' public safety, and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department, I have removed Kristin Crowley as Fire Chief. We know that 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Chief Crowley's watch. Furthermore, a necessary step to an investigation was the President of the Fire Commission telling Chief Crowley to do an after action report on the fires. The Chief refused. These require her removal. The heroism of our firefighters – during the Palisades fire and every single day – is without question. Bringing new leadership to the fire department is what our city needs." Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson added the appeal on the agenda hours after Crowley's announcement to be discussed at a special council meeting Friday at 5 p.m. La Fire Sounded Alarm On Budget Cuts Impacting Wildfire Response: Memo United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112, the union that represents city firefighters and are supporters of Crowley, said in a post to Facebook it was outrageous to schedule, with only 24-hour notice, a "Special Meeting" to hear Chief Crowley's appeal. "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. 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," the post said. The union went on to say that they believe the reasons she was terminated were manufactured and, in reality, Crowley was fired for telling the truth. "Our rank-and-file firefighters on the ground strongly support Chief Crowley. They know the truth, we have her back, and we will fight for her right to set the record straight," they said. "This is the first City Council meeting that we are aware of, perhaps ever, that has been scheduled on 24-hour notice for a Friday at 5:00 pm. It's obvious that some on the City Council are attempting to bury this issue when nobody is watching and holding them accountable. City Council Members will have to ask themselves if this is the way they want to decide the fate of our Fire Chief. What's happening is wrong, and everyone knows it." Crowley's appeal will require a vote of at least 10 of 15 members in her favor. It remains unclear how the vote will go as four council members stood behind Bass during the press conference as she announced the decision to remove Crowley. Councilmember Bob Blumenfield believes it is in the mayor's right to hire and fire whom she wishes. "She needs to have the full confidence of her general managers and her chiefs. If she has lost that confidence, she has every right to change out the head of a department" or fire chief, he said earlier this week. The Los Angeles City Charter allows the mayor the ability to remove most department heads, including the fire chief, without council approval. The charter also gives the fired employee the right to appeal the decision to the council with the possibility of reinstatement. The City Council has 10 meeting days to act on Crowley's filing, per the article source: Kristin Crowley appeals Los Angeles mayor's decision to terminate her as LAFD chief
Fox News
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Kristin Crowley appeals Los Angeles mayor's decision to terminate her as LAFD chief
Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has started the appeal process following Mayor Karen Bass' decision to fire her a week ago. Her decision to appeal comes after Bass' decision has spun up criticism from City Councilmembers and the public for what they say is "misrepresenting the facts." Crowley announced the appeal to City Council members on Thursday. "I choose to proceed with the Council appeal 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," read Crowley's note. "I look forward to hearing from you about next steps, if any." Bass announced that she was firing Crowley after last month's devastating Palisades Fire and appointing former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva, a 41-year LAFD veteran, as interim fire chief. She said it was in the best interest of Los Angeles. "Acting in the best interests of Los Angeles' public safety, and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department, I have removed Kristin Crowley as Fire Chief. We know that 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Chief Crowley's watch. Furthermore, a necessary step to an investigation was the President of the Fire Commission telling Chief Crowley to do an after action report on the fires. The Chief refused. These require her removal. The heroism of our firefighters – during the Palisades fire and every single day – is without question. Bringing new leadership to the fire department is what our city needs." Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson added the appeal on the agenda hours after Crowley's announcement to be discussed at a special council meeting Friday at 5 p.m. United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112, the union that represents city firefighters and are supporters of Crowley, said in a post to Facebook it was outrageous to schedule, with only 24-hour notice, a "Special Meeting" to hear Chief Crowley's appeal. "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. 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," the post said. The union went on to say that they believe the reasons she was terminated were manufactured and, in reality, Crowley was fired for telling the truth. "Our rank-and-file firefighters on the ground strongly support Chief Crowley. They know the truth, we have her back, and we will fight for her right to set the record straight," they said. "This is the first City Council meeting that we are aware of, perhaps ever, that has been scheduled on 24-hour notice for a Friday at 5:00 pm. It's obvious that some on the City Council are attempting to bury this issue when nobody is watching and holding them accountable. City Council Members will have to ask themselves if this is the way they want to decide the fate of our Fire Chief. What's happening is wrong, and everyone knows it." Crowley's appeal will require a vote of at least 10 of 15 members in her favor. It remains unclear how the vote will go as four council members stood behind Bass during the press conference as she announced the decision to remove Crowley. Councilmember Bob Blumenfield believes it is in the mayor's right to hire and fire whom she wishes. "She needs to have the full confidence of her general managers and her chiefs. If she has lost that confidence, she has every right to change out the head of a department" or fire chief, he said earlier this week. The Los Angeles City Charter allows the mayor the ability to remove most department heads, including the fire chief, without council approval. The charter also gives the fired employee the right to appeal the decision to the council with the possibility of reinstatement. The City Council has 10 meeting days to act on Crowley's filing, per the charter.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kristin Crowley appeals Mayor Bass' decision to fire her as LAFD chief
After days of heightened tensions among Los Angeles city leaders, Kristin Crowley is now appealing Mayor Karen Bass' decision to fire her as LAFD chief. Crowley announced her decision in a letter to City Council members on Thursday. 'I choose to proceed with the Council appeal 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,' read Crowley's note. 'I look forward to hearing from you about next steps, if any.' Crowley was fired nearly a week ago in a sudden announcement from Bass, who said Crowley's removal after the Palisades Fire and other blazes in January was in the 'best interests of Los Angeles' public safety, and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department.' KTLA reached out to LAFD for comment on the appeal, to which they responded with the following: 'At this time, the Los Angeles Fire Department cannot comment on personnel matters regarding Former Fire Chief Kristin Crowley and the City of Los Angeles. Interim Fire Chief Villanueva remains focused on leading and representing the great men and women of the LAFD.' The mayor's decision has since drawn criticism from the public as well as City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, who accused Bass of 'misrepresenting the facts' surrounding Crowley's firing. On Wednesday, Bass opened up questions during a press conference for the first time since Crowley's removal – pushing her to address the fallout. For example, earlier this week, United Firefighters of L.A. President Freddy Escobar claimed there weren't enough working engines on the morning of the fire. However, the mayor refuted that claim on Wednesday to KTLA's Annie Rose Ramos, saying that there were 40 fire engines in working order that were not used. 'There are fire trucks that need repair, the fire department needs mechanics, there is no question about that,' said Bass. 'But, 1,000 firefighters – many of those firefighters would have been able to be on the 40 fire trucks.' The '1,000 firefighters' that Bass mentioned was in reference to her original statement on firing Crowley, claiming that there were firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out, but were instead sent home on Chief Crowley's watch. Aside from this appeal, Crowley's only other public comment since the firing was provided in her statement released on Feb. 22, saying: 'As a humble public servant for over the past 30 years, 25 of those with the LAFD, it has been an absolute honor to represent and lead the men and women of one of the greatest fire departments in the world. As the Fire Chief, I based my actions and decisions on taking care of our firefighters so that they could take care of our communities. Serving others before self, having the courage and integrity to do what is right, and leading with compassion, love and respect have guided me throughout my career. I am extremely proud of the work, sacrifice and dedication of our LAFD members, both sworn and civilian.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former LAFD chief Kristin Crowley appeals her dismissal
Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley took the extraordinary step Thursday of appealing Mayor Karen Bass' decision to dismiss her, in part, for her performance during a catastrophic wildfire that destroyed much of the Pacific Palisades. The appeal, which would require the approval of 10 of 15 City Council members, is unlikely to succeed. But it will almost certainly cause further public turmoil for Bass, who has struggled to regain her political footing since the Palisades fire erupted Jan. 7. The move comes less than a week after Bass ousted Crowley, criticizing the former chief for her decision not to fully pre-deploy engines amid dire wind forecasts and her alleged refusal to participate in an after-action report on the fire. "I choose to proceed with the Council appeal 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 wrote just before 1:30 p.m. Thursday in an email to members of the City Council. "I look forward to hearing from you about next steps, if any." Bass spokesperson Zach Seidl said Thursday that Crowley "has the right to appeal her dismissal." The L.A. City Charter gives the mayor the power to remove most department heads, such as the fire chief, without City Council approval. The charter also gives Crowley the right to appeal the decision to the council within 10 days of her removal, with a two-thirds vote required to reinstate her. Crowley will face an uphill climb in convincing 10 members of the council to side with her. Four of the council's members — including Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson — stood behind Bass at a press conference Friday as she announced her decision to remove Crowley. In addition to those four, Councilmember Bob Blumenfield said he believes the mayor has "the right to hire and fire whom she wishes." "She needs to have the full confidence of her general managers and her chiefs. If she has lost that confidence, she has every right to change out the head of a department" or fire chief, he said in an interview earlier this week. Blumenfield said he was also troubled by Crowley's decision Jan. 10 to appear on multiple news shows decrying the lack of funding for her department, at a time when the Palisades fire was still burning out of control. "While the fire is raging, the focus has to be on putting out the fires," he said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
