In the constant push to defund police, the West Hollywood City Council voted in 2022 to cut law enforcement positions in favor of unarmed “security ambassadors.” The city’s plan to hire 85 “security ambassadors” failed to stop several high-profile crimes. On Monday, the city council reversed its original decision and voted to hire 4 positions for Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies that were cut last year. The vote was 4-0 with one abstention.
“I’ve lived here 40 years, and the city really has never felt this unsafe. And we’ve gone through long periods where … you could walk your dog at midnight. And now, people just feel like they have to stay at home. People feel like prisoners in their own home.” Steve Martin, West Hollywood resident (ABC7)
Last June, the city council voted 3-2 to slash five positions from LASD to “reimagine policing.” They hired 85 “security ambassadors” to walk the streets and corridors to deter crime. It did not stop certain high-profile crimes. On Monday, one restaurant manager went before the council to beg for help after his business was robbed.
“Seeing my staff crying, coming to work, and not being able to feel safe in the city, it makes me responsible to be here in front of you and ask you for help. We don’t need block-by-block ambassadors through the streets to solve crime. We need more police officers going through our streets.” Unnamed Restaurant Manager to West Hollywood city council.
This result was inevitable. After people were robbed at gunpoint on the street at around 9 p.m., a cannabis store was burglarized, and citizens went to the council to demand something be done for their safety. Three people were robbed the next night after the meeting, a situation caught on surveillance video. This city council tried to follow the trend of blue cities that caved to the Black Lives Matter narrative, and it failed miserably less than a year after it was implemented.
No surprise! It failed in blue cities that voted for it because their councils are run by Democrats who refuse to see the truth. Crime surges across the nation because of failed policies and foolish ideas. No, you can’t release arrestees immediately because their actions have no consequences. And if you defund the police, whose job is to protect residents, there will always be problems, including making police nervous about doing their jobs. Using unarmed “security ambassadors” without the armed police is a recipe for getting someone killed.
Kudos to the West Hollywood council for hearing the voice of their constituents and acting on it.
Cross Posted with Conservative Firing Line
