Overview

• Former Chief Kristin Crowley alleges an orchestrated campaign of misinformation, defamation and retaliation following her Feb. 21 demotion.
• The filing seeks more than $25,000 in damages and demands a public retraction and apology from Mayor Karen Bass.
• Crowley disputes claims that 1,000 firefighters were sent home, that engines sat idle, that she failed to warn of dangerous winds, or that she refused an after‑action report.
• Her attorneys say budget cuts of roughly $17.6–$18 million and eliminated maintenance positions left LAFD short of staff and working vehicles, a characterization city officials have contested.
• The LAFD after‑action report remains delayed at the U.S. Attorney’s request as federal investigators probe a blaze that killed at least 12 people and destroyed nearly 7,000 structures, and the mayor’s office declined comment.