{{short description|American fire chief}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Kristin Crowley | birth_place = [[Green Bay, Wisconsin|Green Bay]], [[Wisconsin]], U.S. | office = 19th Chief of the [[Los Angeles Fire Department]] | predecessor = [[Ralph Terrazas]] | term_start = March 25, 2022 | image = Kristin Crowley, 2019.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2019 | alma_mater = [[Saint Mary's College (Indiana)|Saint Mary's College]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wilson |first=Wendy |title=Forging the Future of LAFD |work=[[Saint Mary's College (Indiana)|Saint Mary's College]] |date=Summer 2023 |url=https://www.saintmarys.edu/news/forging-future-lafd |access-date=January 11, 2025}}</ref> | children = 3 | deputy = Kristine Larson | term_end = February 21, 2025 | successor = Ronnie Villanueva (Interim) }}
'''Kristin M. Crowley''' is an American former firefighter who was chief of the [[Los Angeles Fire Department]] (LAFD) from 2022 to 2025.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxla.com/news/kristin-crowley-to-be-sworn-in-as-lafds-first-female-chief-friday|title=Kristin Crowley sworn in as LAFD's first openly-gay, female chief|date=March 25, 2022|website=City News Service}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last= |date=2022-01-18 |title=Garcetti names first female fire chief as LAFD faces harassment complaints |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-01-18/garcetti-names-new-lafd-fire-chief |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-17 |title=LA Times Today: Meet Kristin Crowley, nominated as LAFD's first female fire chief |url=https://www.latimes.com/0000017f-039e-d318-ad7f-f7fe01820001-123 |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en}}</ref>
== Career == Crowley passed the firefighters' exam in 1998, finishing in the top 50 out of more than 16,000 tests taken.<ref name=":0" /> She joined the LAFD in 2000. During her time at the department, she has held the roles of firefighter, paramedic, engineer, fire inspector, [[Fire captain|captain]], [[battalion chief]], assistant chief, [[fire marshal]] and deputy chief.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=McHardy |first=Martha |date=2025-01-08 |title=Who is Kristin Crowley? Los Angeles fire chief faces wave of anger |url=https://www.newsweek.com/kristen-crowley-los-angeles-wildfires-2011723 |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Newsweek |language=en}}</ref> Crowley became Los Angeles' first female fire marshal in 2016.<ref name=":0" />
Crowley was named Fire Chief in 2022, replacing [[Ralph Terrazas]], who had assumed the role in 2014.<ref name=":1" /> Upon her appointment, Crowley noted that in addition to "maintaining firefighters' safety, health and overall well-being", she planned to promote a "work environment that is free of harassment, discrimination and hazing".<ref>{{Cite web |last1=de Koos |first1=Camila Thur |last2=Perez |first2=Nate |date=2022-03-01 |title=Kristin Crowley Will Be LA's First Female And Openly Gay Fire Chief |url=https://laist.com/news/kristin-crowley-will-be-los-angeles-fire-department-first-female-and-openly-gay-fire-chief |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=LAist |language=en}}</ref> As Chief, Crowley encouraged programs that increased diversity in the department, saying that a diverse department was needed to serve a diverse city.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Haskell |first=Josh |date=2024-06-05 |title=LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley reflects on breaking barriers and acceptance ahead of Pride Parade |url=https://abc7.com/post/lafd-chief-kristin-crowley-reflects-breaking-barriers-acceptance/14911348/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=ABC7 Los Angeles |language=en}}</ref>
In 2023, she was appointed to the [[Homeland Security Advisory Council]], the second fire chief to serve in that role.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-17 |title=Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin M. Crowley to Advise Department of Homeland Security |url=https://www.hstoday.us/federal-pages/dhs/los-angeles-fire-chief-kristin-m-crowley-to-advise-department-of-homeland-security/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Homeland Security Today |language=en-US}}</ref> In June 2024, Crowley was a grand marshal at [[Los Angeles Pride]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patel |first=Jaysha |date=2024-05-15 |title=LA Pride Parade announces grand marshals: George Takei, Cassandro El Exotico, Kristin Crowley |url=https://abc7.com/post/la-pride-parade-announces-grand-marshals-george-takei-cassandro-el-exotico-lafd-chief-kristin-crowley/14782041/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=ABC7 Los Angeles |language=en}}</ref> She oversaw the department's response to the [[January 2025 Southern California wildfires]].<ref name=":2" />
On February 21, 2025, [[Mayor of Los Angeles|Mayor]] [[Karen Bass]] fired Crowley, claiming that Crowley had left the department unprepared in advance of the outbreak of the [[Palisades Fire]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hylton |first=Chelsea |date=2025-02-21 |title=Mayor Bass removes LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley effective immediately - CBS Los Angeles |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/mayor-bass-removes-lafd-chief-kristin-crowley-effective-immediately/# |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250221193206/https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/mayor-bass-removes-lafd-chief-kristin-crowley-effective-immediately/ |archive-date=21 February 2025 |access-date=2025-02-21 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Bass was in [[Ghana]] during the fires, which she linked to Crowley's having failed to warn her of the fire danger, although Crowley has pushed back on this.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Jimenez |first1=Jesus |last2=Nagourney |first2=Adam |last3=Hubler |first3=Shawn |title=Bass Removes Kristin Crowley, L.A. Fire Chief, Blaming Her for Lack of Preparation |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 21, 2025 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/us/los-angeles-fire-chief-removed.html |access-date=February 21, 2025 |language=en-US}}</ref> The decision to fire Crowley was criticized by many,<ref>{{Cite web|first1=Ernesto Centeno |last1=Araujo |first2=Michael |last2=Loria |title=LA Mayor Karen Bass ousts Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley |work=[[USA Today]] |date=February 21, 2025 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/02/21/la-mayor-karen-bass-burns-fire-chief-for-wild-fires-response/79453896007/ |access-date=February 21, 2025 |language=en-US}}</ref> including philanthropist and former mayoral candidate [[Rick Caruso]],<ref>{{Cite web|last=Faheid |first=Dalia |title=Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass fires Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley |work=[[CNN]] |date=February 21, 2025 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/21/us/los-angeles-mayor-karen-bass-fires-los-angeles-fire-department-chief-kristin-crowley-and-appoints-interim-fire-chief/index.html |access-date=February 21, 2025 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Granville |first=Samantha |title=LA mayor sacks fire chief, blames her for mishandling wildfires |work=[[BBC]] |date=February 21, 2025 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyg54r9897o |access-date=February 21, 2025 |language=en-UK}}</ref> who alongside various media outlets linked the firing to Crowley speaking out about fire department budget cuts.<ref>{{Cite web|title=LA mayor Karen Bass removes fire chief after public rift over wildfire response |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=February 21, 2025 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/21/la-mayor-karen-bass-kristen-crowley |access-date=February 21, 2025 |language=en-UK}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Helsel |first1=Phil |last2=Lavietes |first2=Matt |last3=Romero |first3=Dennis |title=L.A. Mayor Karen Bass removes fire chief over tensions during deadly blazes |work=[[NBC News]] |date=February 21, 2025 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/los-angeles-mayor-karen-bass-kristin-crowley-rcna187238 |access-date=February 21, 2025 |language=en-UK}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Mason |first1=Melanie |last2=Begert |first2=Blanca |title=Karen Bass ousts LA fire chief after weeks of public rift |work=[[POLITICO]] |date=February 21, 2025 |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/21/karen-bass-fires-la-fire-chief-00205499 |access-date=February 21, 2025 |language=en-UK}}</ref>
== Personal life == Crowley is married and has three children. She is part of the LGBTQ+ community.<ref name=":0" />
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crowley, Kristin}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:21st-century American firefighters]] [[Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people]] [[Category:21st-century American women]] [[Category:American fire chiefs]] [[Category:American lesbians]] [[Category:People from Los Angeles]] [[Category:American women firefighters]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]