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THE WESTSIDE - The decision by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to finally pull the trigger and terminate LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley was indecisive and hardly swift, as the embattled Mayor tries to get ahead of things as blame has apparently been cast and molded in her direction.
And while Bass inherited Crowley as chief, and the blame as to who is ultimately responsible remains unclear, we do know this:
The Mayor dismissed Chief Crowley due to grave concerns over her handling of the Palisades Fire in January 2025.
Bass cited several reasons for the termination:
- Insufficient Preparedness: Crowley allegedly failed to adequately prepare for the fire, leading to the deployment of only 1,000 firefighters when more could have been mobilized.
- Budget Mismanagement: There were concerns about the misuse of personnel and resources, including sending home firefighters who could have been crucial during the fire's outbreak.
- Lack of Accountability: Crowley reportedly refused to conduct an "after-action report" on the department's response to the fire, hindering transparency and future improvements.
And while the decision has sparked controversy with the United Firefighters of Los Angeles, the dismissal was characterized as unjust and politically motivated. They argue that Crowley was made a scapegoat, especially given her previous warnings about budget cuts affecting the department's readiness.
An appeal process is now underway, requiring a vote from at least 10 of the 15 city council members for potential reinstatement.
Has Crowley been turned into a martyr, or someone who refused to take any responsibility for this collective crisis in leadership during this catastrophic disaster?
In government, loyalty to those ultimately in charge matters. Internal bickering and backstabbing in such a crisis only serve to undermine the public's confidence to solve the problem when quick decisions need to be made in a life and death situation.
From the start of the Palisades wildfires, Crowley displayed little loyalty to Mayor Bass and seemed more intent to absolve herself from any blame even though she was in charge.
She headed the department.
References to a lack of staffing, firehouses and equipment became issues that were lumped on top of a crisis situation where winds and the weather played a major role in containing the fires. While an argument about staffing and firehouses is a budgetary discussion, what exactly went wrong the days before and the actual days of containing this historic tragedy?
While the Mayor is ultimately in charge, what will Crowley readily admit was her fault or primary responsibilities?
As the highest paid fire chief in the nation, what went wrong on the ground and on her watch?
Crowley, whose total compensation in 2023 was a whopping $654,751 with a base salary of $412,494, she earns twice that of the Mayor who makes $311,879 according to Transparent California.
Crowley seemingly did little to shed light on the situation, choosing to protect herself and cast all of the blame at the feet of Bass.
It was the wrong course of action.
And while no final report or determination has been made as to the root cause of this inferno that demolished thousands of structures and ruined the lives of an entire neighborhood of Los Angeles, how can public confidence be restored that in a crisis of this magnitude, those elected and charged to protect and serve will not spend a great deal of their time pointing fingers and casting blame which ultimately casts a permanent cloud over the city's ability to work together in a disaster?
In 2001 lame duck New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani provided unparalleled leadership in lieu of the terrorist attacks on American soil. There was nothing but governmental and political unity regardless of partisan persuasions. New York and the nation spoke under one voice.
There was clarity and moral purpose.
Highly paid and compensated department heads need to own up to their administrative responsibilities.
Elected officials like Mayor Bass need to display quick and forceful leadership with decisive action.
As in most instances, there is probably enough blame to go around.
For the lack of cohesion, unity and leadership by both parties is obvious, and a textbook example of how not to react when disaster occurs.
(Nick Antonicello is a thirty-two-year resident of Venice and covers events as they effect that community and neighborhood. Have a tip or a take all things Venice? Contact him via email at [email protected].)
