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cf.org - La fire chief dei is a top priority

LA Fire Chief: DEI Is a Top Priority

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.”