Los Angeles' water chief has been given police security cover to deal with "threats" to her and water workers as wildfires sweep across Southern California, two Los Angeles police sources told Fox News.
Sources say Los Angeles Department of Water and Power CEO Janisse Quinones now has the LAPD's 24/7 details to respond to threats.
An LAPD source cited the recent shooting in New York of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
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People watch smoke and flames from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on January 7, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Tiffany Rose/Getty Images)
Quinones reportedly earn $750,000 per year.
She has faced public criticism over her firefighting preparedness and water supply during wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
The Department of Water and Power told Fox News: "We can confirm that our employees have been subject to threats, including an on-site incident that occurred at a DWP facility downtown on Tuesday night."
Smoke from the Eaton Fire fills the sky in Altadena, Los Angeles County, California on January 9, 2025. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu, Getty Images)
"We take every threat and incident seriously and report it to law enforcement immediately," the department continued. "We do not discuss the safety measures in place at our facilities to protect our employees."
The department added: “Our employees are working tirelessly around the clock to support the City’s response, and their work is critical to these efforts. They are an important part of the City family and they are the foundation of this community. There is no place for them as part of society or our city posing any threat to their safety. "
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A fire breaks out in the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles, California, United States, Wednesday, January 8, 2025. (Jill Connolly/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Quinones also previously said she views her position through an "equity lens" and uses it to achieve social justice.