LA City Council Approves $473K Salary for LAFD Chief Jamie Moore

The new salary is about $18,000 more than his predecessor's pay.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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The Los Angeles City Council has approved a $473,600 annual salary for Fire Chief Jaime Moore, about $18,000 more than his predecessor Kristin Crowley earned. The 12-0 vote came after Mayor Karen Bass appointed Moore to the position in October 2025, replacing interim chief Ronnie Villanueva. The salary range considered factored in the rate of inflation, with city officials looking at a range between $303,595 and $538,369 for the fire chief role.

Why it matters

The approval of Moore's salary comes as the LAFD has faced criticism over its response to the Palisades Fire in 2025, which burned over 23,000 acres, killed 12 people, and destroyed thousands of structures. The department's leadership and the mayor's office have been accused of editing the after-action report to reduce criticism of the LAFD's handling of the fire.

The details

In a 12-0 vote, the City Council approved Moore's salary, who took over the Los Angeles Fire Department from interim chief Ronnie Villanueva in October 2025. Mayor Karen Bass appointed Villanueva after she demoted Crowley from her position in February 2025 for her handling of the Palisades Fire. The salary approved for Moore is about $18,000 more than Crowley's previous annual salary of $367,100.

  • The City Council approved Moore's salary on Tuesday, February 25, 2026.
  • Moore took over the LAFD from interim chief Ronnie Villanueva in October 2025.
  • Mayor Karen Bass demoted former Fire Chief Kristin Crowley in February 2025.

The players

Jaime Moore

The new Fire Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department, appointed by Mayor Karen Bass in October 2025.

Kristin Crowley

The former Fire Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department, who was demoted by Mayor Karen Bass in February 2025 for her handling of the Palisades Fire.

Ronnie Villanueva

The interim Fire Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department, appointed by Mayor Karen Bass after she demoted Kristin Crowley in February 2025.

Karen Bass

The Mayor of Los Angeles, who demoted former Fire Chief Kristin Crowley and appointed Jaime Moore as the new Fire Chief.

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What they’re saying

“Mayor Bass removed the previous fire chief over the chief's refusal to do an after action report and for failure to pre-deploy. The notion that the mayor then took a U-turn and 'watered down' a report that justified her removal of the chief and her public criticisms of pre-deployment failures is just bonkers.”

— Yusef Robb, Senior Adviser to Mayor Karen Bass (dailynews.com)

“There was 'nothing new here.' Ms. Crowley was removed from her post for her failure to predeploy and her decision to send 1,000 firefighters home instead of keeping them on duty on the morning the fires broke out. This lawsuit has no merit.”

— Yusef Robb, Senior Adviser to Mayor Karen Bass (dailynews.com)

What’s next

Former Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has officially sued the city over her termination, accusing the mayor of retaliation. The lawsuit claims Bass and city leaders' decisions worsened the LAFD's response to the Palisades Fire.

The takeaway

The approval of a higher salary for the new LAFD Chief comes amid ongoing criticism of the department's leadership and the mayor's office over their handling of the Palisades Fire. This highlights the political tensions and accountability issues surrounding the fire department's performance and the city's emergency response efforts.