Compton Fire chief put on administrative leave following Times reports

Former Fire Chief Rico Smith, right, left the force in 2007. He will return to serve as interim chief, taking over for Fire Chief Jon Thompson, who was put on administrative leave. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Compton Fire Chief Jon Thompson was put on administrative leave Tuesday following a series of Times reports on shortcomings at the fire agency.

City Manager Johnny Ford said he had notified Thompson that he was relieved of duty pending an investigation into how the city had fallen out of compliance with county regulations on the use of defibrillator machines.

The move comes on the heels of a Times report that most fire trucks and ambulances run by the Fire Department have been…