Former LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley will appear publicly for 1st time at appeal to be reinstated
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Former Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley will appear publicly for the first time Tuesday since being fired by Mayor Karen Bass over her handling of the Palisades Fire.
The Los Angeles City Council will take up her appeal to be reinstated as head of the department.
Crowley hasn't been seen in public in roughly two weeks.
Bass fired Crowley on Feb. 21, and last week she appealed to be reinstated.
It's not known whether Crowley will speak when her appeal is brought up at council on Tuesday or whether Councilmembers will be allowed to ask questions.
Eyewitness News was told dozens of firefighters will be in attendance to show their support for Crowley.
Council is expected to vote on her appeal, but that could change.
Former LAFDChief Kristin Crowley needs 10 votes from the LA City Council to be reinstated
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.
