INTERIM LAFD CHIEF STARTS CHANGING MANAGEMENT NO. 2 ADMINISTRATOR FOX IS EFFECTIVELY DEMOTED.

Byline: RICK ORLOV

Staff Writer

A deputy Los Angeles fire chief involved in some of the embattled department's most controversial cases was effectively demoted Tuesday in a staffing reassignment.

Deputy Chief Andrew Fox, the No. 2 ranking administrator in the department as commander of the Operations Bureau, will be transferred to head the Bureau of Risk Management effective April 1.

Deputy Chief Emile Mack, current head of risk management, will take over Operations.

The transfer is the first significant change in Fire Department personnel since Interim Chief Douglas Barry took over for retiring Chief Bill Bamattre in early December.

Barry declined to say whether Fox's reassignment was related to ongoing controversies, including complaints of racism, sexism and harassment.

"Their reassignment comes at a time when the department is moving in a new direction toward growth and opportunity," Barry said in an interview.

"The reassignments of Chiefs Mack and Fox allows the department to utilize their individual strengths, skills and abilities in different capacities that will better serve the department and improve the organizational effectiveness and efficiency in the department."

Fox, a 26-year firefighter who is also the mayor of Thousand Oaks, said he had no comment on the decision.

Fox drew criticism after he did not pursue disciplinary action against the firefighters involved in a hazing incident that prompted African-American firefighter Tennie Pierce to file a racial discrimination suit.

The City Council ultimately rejected a proposed $2.7 million settlement, and the matter is now in court.

Barry won praise for the reassignments from various firefighters' groups.

"These are reassignments the chief believes are necessary and we support the chief," said Capt. Armando Hogan of the Stentorians, an association of African-American firefighters.

Said Steve Tufts, president of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City: "The firefighters union has long held the belief that changes need to be made in key leadership positions within the LAFD. I hope this is the first of more changes to come."

Since being named interim chief, Barry has been meeting with firefighters to underscore his message that the LAFD will no longer tolerate harassment or hazing.

"I think they want to see what we will be doing," Barry said, adding that he plans to make more changes in the coming months.

Councilman Jack Weiss, who chairs the City Council's Public Safety Committee, said Barry was acting appropriately.

"Chief Barry has been given a mandate for change and the appropriate thing for us to do is give him the authority to make changes and to hold him accountable for producing results," Weiss said.

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com

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