LA Fire Chief Gets Backing From Union After Reportedly Being On Mayor’s Chopping Block

On Friday, a union representing more than 3,000 Los Angeles city firefighters gave its full-throated support for Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, who was reportedly called into Democrat Mayor Karen Bass’ office last week to be fired, though she ultimately kept her job.

Mayor Bass and Crowley have been at odds while the city of Los Angeles battles historic wildfires that have so far killed 25 people, and others remain missing. Additionally, Crowley was recently the subject of an anonymous letter from “retired and active LAFD chief officers” condemning her performance as chief, and specifically her decision to call out Mayor Bass on television.

United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112 condemned the letter admonishing Crowley, which they said was signed by “disgruntled and anonymous individuals.” The union also thanked Crowley for being “willing to fight” for her staff and the agency’s budget, the Los Angeles Times reported.

“While we haven’t agreed on everything, you’ve been the only fire chief in decades to repeatedly demand adequate resources,” the union said.

Crowley bluntly told the press last week that city leadership “failed” her department — a moment the letter admonishing Crowley referred to as an “outburst.”

“Chief, please focus on your current duties and responsibilities which currently should be focused on mitigating and stabilizing the Palisades fire,” the anonymous letter said. “Your outburst regarding the budget and the statement that the ‘City failed the LAFD’ was ill-advised, poorly timed and took away from the most important issue, the Palisades fire.”

Mayor Bass has been accused of ignoring warnings of the forecasted high winds and fire threat, opting to leave town for a taxpayer-funded trip to Africa. The mayor also cut the fire department budget by $17.5 million just months before the fires broke out, as highlighted by Crowley. Currently, an online petition signed by more than 155,000 people calls for Bass’ immediate resignation.

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There is also much controversy about the LA Fire Department’s priorities, specifically its focus on DEI goals over competence and effectiveness. For example, the department’s assistant chief, Kristine Larson, appears in a video in which she says that if someone complains about a woman firefighter’s inability to carry a man out of a fire, her response would be, “He got himself in the wrong place if I have to carry him out of a fire.”

Journalist Michael Shellenberger has reported whistleblowers’ stories about detrimental DEI standards with the department.

“DEI didn’t hurt the LA Fire Department’s response to the catastrophic fires, say the media. But anything that trumps meritocratic standards would,” Shellenberger posted online. “And now, whistleblowers within LAFD say the Department lowered standards on ladders, hoses & push-ups to meet DEI quotas for women.”

Related: LA Fire Chief Reportedly Called To Mayor’s Office ‘To Be Fired.’ Here’s What We Know.

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