Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa scrapped his search for a new fire chief Monday, naming interim Fire Chief Douglas L. Barry to run a department buffeted by civil rights lawsuits and a budding federal employment discrimination investigation.
Villaraigosa, who will hold a news conference today to announce his selection of the 32-year department veteran, would not comment on the decision to abandon what had been billed as a nationwide recruitment effort.
But Villaraigosa signaled his dissatisfaction with the job applicants two weeks ago when he was asked about the search on KABC's "Eyewitness Newsmakers."
"I'm not sure that the pool of candidates -- funny that you ask this question, 'cause just last week, I looked at the pool of candidates," he said. "I'm not sure we're where we want to be."
Sources familiar with the search process said at least six candidates were considered for the post, including three internal applicants: Deputy Chief Emile W. Mack, Assistant Chief Roxanne Bercik and Battalion Chief Patrick Butler.
Villaraigosa's announcement comes as the Fire Department is cooperating with an investigation by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission into allegations of racial and gender bias. That probe was launched after the department was hit with a series of discrimination and retaliation lawsuits, which have resulted in more than $11 million in jury awards over the last year.
In the recruitment package for chief, applicants were advised that the Fire Department had "a strong need to improve both gender and racial diversity through the department's ranks. These efforts have been inhibited by a very tenured staff, a large group of civil service personnel and organized labor requirements."
The City Council received a report Aug. 9 warning that the growing number of legal settlements could pose a danger to the city's budget. Meanwhile, the lawsuits have demoralized department employees, who say most firefighters treat their colleagues with respect.
Villaraigosa named Barry to the interim post in December, days after the mayor had infuriated African American leaders by vetoing a $2.7-million settlement offered to Tennie Pierce, a black firefighter who unknowingly ate dog food mixed into his spaghetti dinner by his colleagues.
Barry, who is black, replaced former Chief William Bamattre, who is white. At the time of the interim appointment, Villaraigosa vowed that Barry would reform a department riven by allegations of racism and sexism. Barry had planned to retire by the end of this year.
