Los Angeles just put a $473,600 price tag on its fire department's top job, locking in the annual salary for Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jaime Moore as he takes over an agency under a harsh spotlight after last winter's Palisades fire.
Moore is now officially the one responsible for steering a department that has to juggle wildfire response, daily 911 calls, and preparations for a crush of major events headed to the region, all while critics and investigators pore over its recent decisions.
The City Council signed off on the pay in a 12-0 vote Tuesday, with Councilmembers Heather Hutt, Curren Price, and John Lee absent. The package had already cleared the City Council's Executive Employee Relations Committee on Jan. 27, 2026, and came with a recommendation from Mayor Karen Bass, according to MyNewsLA. City staff weighed a salary range between $303,595 and $538,369 before settling on the final figure, which they said reflects inflation and market comparisons.
How the pay stacks up
Moore's $473,600 salary comes in at roughly $18,000 more than what former Chief Kristin Crowley earned and lands near the pay for other local public safety bosses. The Los Angeles Times reports that the Los Angeles County fire chief made about $475,000 in 2024, while Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell was sworn in at $450,000. Several other city executives, including the Department of Water and Power's general manager, take home significantly higher paychecks.
Moore's early moves and the after-action report
Moore, who took command in October, has spent his early months trying to rebuild trust in the department's judgment. He ordered an independent review of the Lachman fire and asked the Fire Safety Research Institute to fold that blaze into its broader look at the January fires, steps meant to show the city is not ducking outside scrutiny, according to MyNewsLA.
Moore has also acknowledged that the department's after-action report on the Palisades fire was edited in ways that softened criticism of leadership. At the same time, he has said that several of the report's recommendations are already being put into practice.
Legal fallout and reactions
The new chief's pay debate is unfolding against a messy legal backdrop. On Monday, former Chief Kristin Crowley filed a whistleblower lawsuit accusing the mayor and other city leaders of retaliating against her after she was pushed out of the job. City officials have rejected those claims, according to the Los Angeles Times.
A spokesperson for Council President Marqueece Harris‑Dawson told the paper that the new salary reflects a deliberate effort to "invest in strong and experienced leadership" and to bolster public safety at a time when the department is under heavy pressure.
Why pay decisions matter
Top-tier salaries for city executives remain a political live wire in Los Angeles. Council members stressed that they were trying to balance staying competitive in the market with keeping an eye on the bottom line, mindful of how quickly public anger can flare over six-figure paychecks.
They have reason to be cautious. A proposed $500,000 salary for a wildfire recovery official was dumped last year after residents blasted it as excessive, according to the AP. That episode served as a reminder that compensation for emergency managers can become a flash point almost overnight.
Moore, a roughly 30‑year veteran of the department, now has to push reforms forward while independent reviews and Crowley's lawsuit play out in the background. The mayor's office has emphasized disaster preparedness and readiness for upcoming large-scale events as top priorities in announcing his appointment, according to the City of Los Angeles.
Observers say Moore's first major tests will include finishing the independent Lachman review and fielding tough questions from council members and the public about whether the LAFD is truly ready for the next big emergency.
