LOS ANGELES — Several criticisms of Mayor Eric Garcetti and his office were softened or removed from the final version of a report on Los Angeles' emergency response to the COVID-19 crisis, a L.A. Times analysis shows.
The 220-page final report, produced for the city by an outside firm at a cost of $150,000, found that there was never a formal discussion regarding who was in charge of the emergency operation, a misstep that led to a breakdown in coordination and communication among city departments. The earlier draft version of the report reached the same conclusion.
At the same time, both reports offer praise for Garcetti, who "acted quickly and decisively on many fronts, often with innovative initiatives to help protect the city and its people." City employees' response was described as "quick" and "heartfelt."
