The LAFD’s Fire Prevention Bureau is under fire for years of misconduct and negligence leading up to devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.
One of the big issues was a deputy chief who allegedly oversaw a wildfire while drunk back in 2021. That same area was hit by one of the worst fires in LA’s history this month. Surprisingly, he was cleared of any wrongdoing and even got a hefty payout of $1.4 million.
The Fire Prevention Bureau is supposed to inspect buildings and clear brush to prevent fires. But reports show they’ve been faking inspections and not doing their jobs properly. A lawsuit from 2022 revealed that if anyone spoke up about the issues, they faced retaliation.
A 2015 investigation found that many buildings, including schools and churches, hadn’t been inspected for years. The following year, inspectors were caught filing fake inspections for places that had already closed down.
The chief of the bureau was fired, but he claimed he was pushed out for exposing a culture of fraud. The city ended up settling his lawsuit for $800,000.
With public pressure mounting, the bureau hired untrained recruits who conducted sloppy inspections. Those who raised concerns were labeled as “internal terrorists” and faced career setbacks.
There were also serious allegations of racism and sexism within the department. A group of black and female firefighters claimed they were unfairly labeled as lazy. The city eventually settled a lawsuit for $3 million in 2022.
The issues didn’t stop there. In 2021, a deputy chief faced no consequences for allegedly being drunk on the job during a wildfire. He claimed he was sick, which let him off the hook.
The department gave him a $1.4 million payout, which raised eyebrows, especially since similar treatment likely wouldn’t happen for minority or female employees.
In recent years, the department has seen a wave of lawsuits over discrimination and harassment. The former fire chief resigned amid these allegations, and the new chief, Kristin Crowley, is the first woman and openly gay person to lead the department.
When asked about the changes she’s made to address the toxic culture, the LAFD didn’t respond right away.
