Letters to the Editor: L.A. residents demand more transparency. Why isn’t the LAFD chief providing it?

To the editor: After what seems like decades of wanting more transparency and accountability from L.A.’s police, sheriff’s and fire departments, our fire chief says he won’t look into who sanitized the after-action report because, in his words, “I don’t think there’s really any benefit to me” (“New LAFD chief won’t look into who watered down Palisades fire report,” Jan. 13).

With all due respect, chief, the purpose of the after-action report is not to benefit you but to benefit the people of Los Angeles by determining responsibility and apportioning accountability so certain mistakes will not happen again.

Gordon J. Louttit, Manhattan Beach

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To the editor: Many lives were lost in both the Palisades and Eaton fires, and the destruction was so extensive, at least in part, because of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s inability to prevent and fight the fire. What is being covered up here?

Fire Chief Jaime Moore said he does not plan to determine who was responsible for watering down the Palisades report. But these are not your typical “bonehead” mistakes. According to Los Angeles Times reporting, a battalion chief did not heed firefighters’ warnings that the ground at the site of the Lachman fire was still smoldering.

The battalion chief instead reportedly told the firefighters to stand down and roll up their hoses. This mistake may have cost the lives of many people. If the reporting is accurate, not only should the battalion chief’s name be made public, he or she should be fired with no chance of ever serving as a firefighter and should be named in a civil suit. Anything less would be unacceptable.

Neil Snow, Manhattan Beach

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To the editor: I wasn’t surprised to see Mayor Karen Bass’ fire chief mirror the toadying acquiescence of President Trump and his sycophants in the Cabinet.

Fire Chief Moore refuses to investigate the watering down of the LAFD after-action report on the Palisades fire. Instead, we who lost our homes are fed Moore’s political pablum about wanting to move forward. He may not want to assign blame to those who doctored that report, but this fire victim certainly does.

I also want to know the identity of the battalion chief who told firefighters to leave the site of the Lachman fire. Thanks to some great reporting, we know what happened, and that battalion chief owes us a truthful explanation.

Warren Cereghino, Pacific Palisades