LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Former Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley spoke out Tuesday morning before a City Council meeting where councilmembers are expected to consider her appeal to be reinstated as head of the LAFD.
Crowley brief remarks to reporters at City Hall marked her first public appearance since she was fired two weeks ago by Mayor Karen Bass over her handling of the Palisades Fire.
Crowley said she was grateful “to exercise the opportunity to appeal, very grateful for our labor organization that is here, supporting our efforts,” she added, gesturing toward some of the approximately 50 firefighters union members who showed up in solidarity with her.
“In the end, we’ll see where the votes are, but I’m so grateful for the love and support,” she said.
Asked if she could work with Bass if reinstated as fire chief, Crowley replied: “I have every expectation that as a professional, in the end, we want the same thing — and that’s to support the community, that’s to provide the optimal public safety, that’s to take care of the boots on the ground so that they can do their jobs — every expectation. I know that’s where I’m coming from.
“If I get the votes — and I hope and pray that we do — for the totality of what we need to do for the LAFD,” she said. “And, in the end, that’s why I’m here.”
Bass fired Crowley on Feb. 21, and last week she appealed to be reinstated.
It’s not known whether Crowley will speak during the council meeting when her appeal is brought up or whether councilmembers will be allowed to ask questions.
The council is expected to vote on her appeal, but that could change. She needs 10 votes in order to be reinstated as fire chief.
The Los Angeles City Council will hold a hearing Tuesday to reconsider reinstating former Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley, who needs 10 votes to overturn the mayor’s decision.
Bass fired Crowley because she said she was acting in the best interests of public safety and that 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Crowley’s watch.
Another reason was because Crowley was asked to put together an after-action report on the fires by the president of the fire commission and refused.
Another after-action report ordered by the City Council is already underway.
City Councilwoman Traci Park, who represents Pacific Palisades, believes it’s unfortunate the council is being forced to make what she calls a political decision.
“I don’t know what to expect out of tomorrow. There isn’t a lot of precedent for hearings like this in the city of Los Angeles. I have not had an opportunity to hear from her on these issues, but I don’t think that a City Council meeting is necessarily the appropriate venue to fully vet these issues. We are not making findings effect. There is no burden of proof. This is not a court of law. It will be nothing but political theatre, and I do have real serious concerns about that,” said Park.
Park says major questions remain about the chaotic evacuations that took place in the Palisades on Jan. 7, such as problematic communications, fire hydrants that ran dry and an empty reservoir.
She doesn’t know whether any of that will be covered at Tuesday’s hearing.
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