A crime-laden California city takes measures to not stop more crime from happening, but give criminals more leeway to break the law.
In a three to one vote, the West Hollywood City Council voted to defund the sheriff’s department, despite Mayor Lauren Meister and Councilman John Erickson voting against the decision.
Home to the famous Sunset Strip, the decision will leave the city with at least four fewer cops on patrol as the the city recently approved a motion to keep bars open until 4 a.m.
The money the Los Angeles city will save by not stopping crime, will go towards a Block by Block program where unarmed, blue-shirted security ambassadors provide supplemental law enforcement services.
This is a win for progressive activists, and a bold move for Democrats to make such a radical decision when the community of about 35, 000 residents has voiced their concerns for months about their safety.
In a statement, the sheriff’s department said they were disappointed with the vote.
“Along with the West Hollywood Community, we are disappointed that as part of the approved city budget, four deputies will be cut in the upcoming months,” the statement read, adding “we would like to thank all the residents who were opposed to this vote and responded in its opposition. It appears outside activists had more weight than the residents of West Hollywood.”
Mayor Pro Tem Sepi Shyne actually believes the decision to remove cops from the streets while in the midst of a crime wave would result in “more bang for the buck.”
Shyne said the police officers will be replaced with roughly 30 safety ambassadors who will lead an Entertainment Policing Team.
This comes just months after the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported that crime in West Hollywood spiked a shocking 137 percent in February 2022.