As fires rage through the Los Angeles area, Kristin M. Crowley, the first woman and lesbian to become Los Angeles Fire Department Chief, is facing harsh criticism for her focus on DEI initiatives instead of a pure meritocracy.
Crowley, who was appointed fire chief by then-Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2022, launched a diversity, equity, and inclusion bureau in January 2023, and prepared to implement a three-year plan committing the LAFD to an organization embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
According to the LAFD, DEI is a top priority for Crowley. “Creating, supporting, and promoting a culture that values diversity, inclusion, and equity while striving to meet and exceed the expectations of the communities are Chief Crowley’s priorities,” the LAFD website states.
“People ask me, ‘What number are you looking for?’” she told a reporter. “I’m not looking for a number; it’s never enough.” She said of including members of the LGBT community, “They feel included; they feel valued, and they feel part of a cohesive team. … That just kind of opens the door of people who thought, ‘Wow, I didn’t even know that that was an opportunity for me.’”
In June 2024, Crowley served as grand marshal of the LA Pride Parade. “This feels like a whole other level, especially being part of the parade as a grand marshal of the Los Angeles Fire Department,” she said. “It’s very humbling. I have been proud to participate in the pride parade over the past few years, but this is extra special—being able to be out front and represent the department and our community as a whole.”
LA Fire Chief is being hailed as the first female and LGBTQ fire chief in Los Angeles. She says her priority is DEI.
Here she is waving a pride flag at a pride parade while dressed in uniform. pic.twitter.com/E2mjsGN2KK
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By 2 p.m. EST Wednesday, three fires were raging in the Los Angeles area: the Palisades fire, west of Los Angeles, which had burned roughly 4.5 square miles; the Eaton fire, north of Pasadena, which had burned about 16.6 square miles, and the Hurst fire, in the San Fernando Valley, which had burned roughly 500 acres. Over 70,000 residents were under evacuation orders. Over 250, 000 customers were without power.
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“By 3 a.m. Wednesday, all fire hydrants in the Palisades area ‘went dry,’ said Janisse Quiñones, chief executive and chief engineer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the city’s utility,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
