West Hollywood residents made their priorities clear at a recent Policing and Public Safety Town Hall, hosted by the West Hollywood West Residents Association and attended by Mayor Chelsea Byers, Captain Fanny Lapkin of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and Anita Shandi, the city’s Manager of Public Safety.
The event drew a large crowd, with residents demanding more visible patrols, faster data sharing, and new tools to fight property crime. Mayor Byers shared new initiatives and highlighted the importance of looking to next year, while acknowledging programs already underway. The conversation reflected a mix of frustration with some optimism as residents pressed leaders to move faster on long-promised public safety upgrades. Association president, Jonathan Finestone, shared a recap with WeHoOnline and told us it was clear that residents “are deeply engaged and care about the safety and future of our community.” He added that while there were a variety of viewpoints expressed, one message came through loud and clear: “our community demands zero crime, more policing, more technology, and a stronger, firmer approach to homelessness so that quality-of-life issues are addressed before they turn into criminal activity.” He personally suggested that the City explore a pilot program with proactive drone surveillance, 24/7 camera monitoring in residential neighborhoods, and armed, high-visibility private security patrols.
Key Themes and Takeaways
1. Crime Reduction and Visibility
Residents voiced a shared goal: to dramatically reduce crime — ideally to zero — through more proactive patrols and visible policing. Many described wanting to “see” law enforcement in their neighborhoods, not just hear about initiatives later.
2. New Technology, Old Questions
Several participants pushed for updates on the city’s planned camera network, security technology, and reporting systems. There was broad agreement that the City and Sheriff’s Department need better, more transparent crime data to be made available in real time so residents can track progress and hold leaders accountable.
3. Calls for Enhanced Policing Tools
Attendees urged the city to consider armed, high-visibility private security, expanded drone surveillance, and AI-assisted camera monitoring, pointing to Beverly Hills as a nearby example of tech-driven success. Mayor Byers said this was the first she was hearing of these requests. Captain Lapkin acknowledged that Beverly Hills has had success with similar programs, adding that “more police is always better.”
4. Diverging Views on Homelessness and Public Safety
Not everyone agreed on how the city handles homelessness. While many residents said they want no negative encounters with unhoused individuals, others stressed compassion and balance. The consistent message: safety and quality of life must remain priorities, and residents want a stronger voice in shaping policy.
5. Community Forums Matter
Smaller neighborhood meetings of 100–200 residents were seen as more productive and personal than large citywide sessions. Organizers hope to continue these local forums, possibly expanding them to other neighborhoods. calling them “effective and empowering.”
Bottom Line
Residents are asking for measurable progress, not just promises. The night’s biggest takeaway: West Hollywood West residents want a safer, more visible, and more transparent policing strategy, combining technology (drones and cameras) with on-the-ground patrols. City leaders said they are listening, but residents made it clear they intend to keep the pressure on.
How Residents Can Help
The association emphasized one crucial and obvious point: report everything.
The most important thing residents can do to improve neighborhood safety is to report every incident, crime, or suspicious person.
Here’s how:
Emergencies: Call 911 immediately
Quality of life or homeless-related concerns: Call or text the City’s Ambassadors at 323.948.6500
Non-emergency police matters: Call the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station at 310.855.8850
City representatives: Reach out anytime to share concerns or ask questions here
The more the City and Sheriff’s Department know, the better they can respond and prioritize resources across West Hollywood.
Instead of cops, we get security ambassadors. Instead of hiring local with accountability, we hire the largest security guard company in the country. Why did we hire a large business with a high turnover rate and low employee morale instead of hiring directly or hiring a local security company? Why shop local when we could just go National… I think it sends the wrong message. Higher more cops or local people. Pressure the post office to close the drug den they host on their property on Norton. The mail truck doesn’t even pull in all the way anymore because of… Read more »
WeHo falling victim to “copaganda,” intentional propaganda promoting an unquestionable positive image of law enforcement & their institutions by shaping public opinion through selective news coverage & messaging. Media outlets pick the most positive police activities while downplaying or ignoring police misconduct & systemic Civil Rights abuse. This manipulation is designed to lead the public to fear marginalized communities, and to support their mass incarceration & eliminating basic rights. A major aspect of copaganda is the promotion of an ever increasing crime fallacy and exploitation of the manufactured fear, which is used to justify policies & budgets that increase police… Read more »
LOL. Is that you Mamdani? These aren’t American views.
YES they are, I know several Native Americans who share them with me and, Zohran Mamdani is winning by a landslide in NYC❗👏 Now we need to do something just as good for West Hollywood and the rest of the LA area.
There is a rebranded political party called the DSA. Divide. Sabotage. Antagonize. Mamdani is a member. The city councilman who covers Hollywood is also backed by the DSA. Hugo Soto Martinez. Laurel Canyon and Studio City are represented by nithya Raman and she’s also backed by the DSA. The Democratic socialists are the new National socialists. They are playing the long game. Wait until they have full control. They aren’t showing all their cards at once. DSA members already back a $30 minimum wage for construction workers. That sounds good if you’re one of the lucky. Whatever happened to market… Read more »
I agree with West Hollywood West.
It’s very simple. Vote the silly people out……and things will change.
Silly people like you vote, that’s why King Trump is ruining the country. 🤡
I agree but we need 3 good candidates that can take make control of the council from the union owned puppets that are running the council now.
Nothing is getting fixed until the fraud is prevented
Don’t worry the MAGA bubble is well on the way to popping and, they are soon to be replaced by much better people like Zohran Mamdani & AOC ❗