Wednesday 29 June 2022 05:12 PM West Hollywood mayor slams move to defund cops and bring in 30 unarmed ... trends now
The mayor of West Hollywood condemned the city council's vote to defund their sheriff's department despite sporting one of the highest crime rates in the nation.
The proposal, passed by a narrow three to two vote, will see the current force of around 60 sheriff's deputies reduced by four, while also hiring 30 unarmed 'security ambassadors' under a scheme called Block By Block.
Lauren Meister, the Democratic mayor who voted against the plan along with one other member of the council, called it illogical, noting that the Los Angeles enclave is afflicted by a rising tide of crime and violence.
'Most of the residents and businesses I have heard from are opposed to cutting the Sheriff's budget,' Meister told Fox News.
'They are outraged that people and organizations from outside our city are dictating to council how to run our city,' she added, appearing to reference the controversial Defund the Police movement occurring nationwide.
'The narrative that we can have 'either Sheriff's or social services,' or 'either Sheriff's or unarmed security teams' is false.'
Lauren Meister, the mayor of West Hollywood, voted against the plan to defund the sheriff's office, saying the city should be focused on combating soaring crime rates
West Hollywood's city council voted 3-2 on Monday to drop four sheriff's deputy positions. Pictured members of the Los Angles Sheriff's department on duty in the city after the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival was called off in 2020
Instead, the city will bring on 30 unarmed 'security ambassadors' under its Block By Block program. The security ambassadors job is not to make arrests, but simply to provide assistance to residents and deter crime with merely their uniformed presence in the streets
The city of West Hollywood has more than 35,000 residents and boasts one of the worst scores on safety in the nation, according to Neighborhood Scout
Although West Hollywood has a little more than 35,000 residents, with the average home valued at $1.25 million, it ranks among the most dangerous neighborhoods in the country.
Neighborhood Scout, which compiles the crime data of cities across the country, gave the California city a crime index of eight, meaning 92 percent of U.S. cities are considered safer.
The ranking was derived using data from 2021, which means the city's crime index is likely much lower after crime more than doubled in the last year.
In February, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) reported that crime in West Hollywood had risen 137 percent compared to the same time last year.
February 2022 saw roughly 250 'Part One' crimes reported, including murder, rape, burglary, aggravated assault, arson, and human trafficking.
There were 105 such incidents reported in February 2021, KTLA reported.
This number also marks the highest monthly total of crimes classified as 'Part One' since LASD began recording those statistics.
West Hollywood Sheriff's Station polices the City of West Hollywood and the unincorporated communities of Franklin Canyon, Universal City - which includes Universal Theme Park, Studios, and Citywalk - and the Federal Enclave in West Los Angeles. The department did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
Residents are uneasy about the decision, WeHoville.com reported, saying that residents and business owners from all over the city have for the last few months expressed their deep concerns about cutting the sheriff's budget in the midst of a crime wave, and at a time of general unease.
City councilman John Erickson, who voted with Meister against slashing the budget, said he, too, was worried about the rising crime and said the city needed a real plan to secure the people's safety.
'Community safety is our number one concern,' he told Fox. 'When I've heard from countless residents about how they want to feel safer, that involves comprehensive planning and something that is not just drawn out over a decision.'
According to the city's plan, the first two deputies will go in the fall. Three more will depart over the year - but the headcount will only go down by four, because an additional deputy will be added to the Entertainment Policing division.
The city will also take on an additional 30 unarmed 'security ambassadors' through the Block by Block program, a security firm that serves more than 100 downtown districts in the U.S., primarily through street cleaning and beautification.
First partnered with West Hollywood in 2013, Block by Block provides security personnel around the city to work in collaboration with the West Hollywood's Sheriff's Station.
The security ambassadors job is not to make arrests, but simply to provide assistance to residents and deter crime with their uniformed presence in the streets.
'Our mission is to be a visible deterrent on the street,' Shea Gibson, manager of the West Hollywood Security Ambassadors told ABC7. 'To try to offset any low-hanging fruit criminal activity.'
Mayor Pro Tempore Sepi Shyne (right) was for the budget slashing, while Councilman John Erickson (right) was against it, worrying about high crime rates
Councilors Lindsey Horvath (left) and John D'Amico (right) voted with Shyne to defund
While the presence of the security ambassadors is seen as a positive in the city, many are doubtful they can deter as much crime as actual officers patrolling the streets
" class="c8" scrolling="no"
Last year, the city opted to allocate $85,000 to upgrade its Rainbow crosswalk to be more inclusive, adding colors to represent the transgender community and communities of color. Pictured: a mockup of
