The West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station is having problems staffing foot patrols that were lauded as an effort by it to respond to crime in the city’s nightlife areas.
Under questioning last night from Public Safety Commissioner Ben Coleman, Sheriff’s Lt. David Smith said he estimates that the station has been able to staff only 60 percent of the patrols it had promised.
In July, in response to reports of a number of attacks in the Boystown nightlife area on Santa Monica Boulevard, the Sheriff’s station said it would implement two foot patrols, each with two deputies
The foot patrols in the Boystown area were to take place from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. on every night but Wednesday. The area covered by the deputies runs along Santa Monica Boulevard from Hancock to La Peer and includes Robertson Boulevard, which is home to gay establishments such as The Abbey and Here Lounge.
The foot patrols on the Eastside, conducted one night a week, cover La Brea Avenue to Fountain and also Santa Monica Boulevard to Poinsettia Place on the west and Romaine Street on the north. Currently deputies on duty cross the 1.89 square mile city in squad cars rather than on foot.
Smith said the foot patrols are staffed by deputies who want to work over time and that they cannot be required to do so. Coleman noted that he didn’t see foot patrols on Sunday of Labor Day weekend, which Smith confirmed. A major incident that inspired the foot patrols was the assault on Memorial Day weekend of Kirk Doffing, a West Hollywood resident, near Rage, the gay bar on Santa Monica Boulevard.
Jonathan – please cite specific incidents of people dying in this city because of inadequate policing.
There was the tragic Palm apt wrong person killed (which was over policing), but I am not aware of any deaths, homicides or otherwise, due to negligence on the part of the LACSD. Homicide actually is very rare in WeHo.
Please fill us in on the information you have, if any.
SERIOUSLY … People are dying in weho due to inadequate Sheriff policing and protecting the city. It is not time to point finger and make excuses. WeHo City Hall NEEDS to fund WHATEVER amount is necessary to increase the number and ability of active and qualified Sheriffs ON THE STREETS of our really very small city. The amount necessary (however much) is nominal to a $16 million robo garage (where there was no parking shortage in the first place) or an absurd Total Destruction and Redo of Plummer park (a good lanscaper, building retrofitter and some paint ….. is all… Read more »
The guys in blue shirts who the city pays to ride around in groups are getting some good exercise—-unsure if there any actual benefits to the city/residents though. We never hear of them thwarting crimes.
In regards to getting our own police department, please point me to a budget analysis.
I’d love to see it.
Rather then critisize comments, perhaps we all can offer constructive solutions. In this case how about the City hiring pvt security?
Anyone with a job out there – how would you like it if your boss could order you to work overnight shifts? If you don’t have a problem with that, then criticize away. If you wouldn’t like it, think before you criticize. I assume this is covered in their union agreement. I am pro-labor, so I get this. Yes, the city needs to work with them, and the idea of getting qualified volunteer or other supplement help should be explored. The patrols are a good idea, and should be implemented. But as usual, we get a plethora of knee jerk… Read more »
It’s cheaper for an employer pay overtime than to make new hires. Deputies incur built-in overtime just while on their regular daily assignments. But they might not want to volunteer for more overtime because after a certain amount of it, payroll taxes make it like working for free. Deputies also have families and lives outside of their work.
If this foot patrol effort is to be constant and effective, the city might need to consider increasing the sheriff’s budget for new hires.
Unlikely.
NOT ACCEPTABLE. THE END.
There’s a shortage of Law enforcement throughout the Southern California!!! I see ads for LASD,LAPD, Orange County all over the news and magazines… I guess it’s a tough job that nobody wants it!!!!!!
In essence, they are admitting that they are unable to service the community they are charged with protecting. I agree with Don – bring in outside help if you can’t do the job yourself. How does this sort of incompetence persist and why does West Hollywood allow it?
The latest crime statistics show that the east side had the same level of serious crime last month as the west side. So, tell me again why they are getting foot patrols 6 days a week and we get 1?
@Don Azers – the foot patrols were to be voluntary overtime. Obviously, there are not enough volunteers. It says it right in the article. And, NO, we do not need our our police department.
My thoughts on the foot patrols- if they aren’t going to patrol the whole city, then don’t do it. 6 days a week in one area and 1 day a week for another PARTIAL area doesn’t seem right. . .
The point is we don’t have the patols. Violent crimes have increased
We pay for a job to be done and need a creative solution. That’s the situation. And I agree we can’t afford our own police dept.
It sort of begs the question as to why there weren’t enough volunteers to be paid a handsome overtime wage. I was led to believe that many sworn officers – LAPD, LASD, etc.- loved overtime. Do they not want to do overtime in West Hollywood or is this a problem in all the areas served by LASD?