In 1992 residents gathered 4500 signatures and the City Council voted 4-0 to put a proposal on the ballot to create the West Hollywood Police Force. Councilmember Paul Koretz abstained.
The Los Angeles Riots took place in 1992 and had a dramatic effect on the idea of an Independent West Hollywood Police Force. The final vote was close. A public records request was made to the City Clerk earlier in the week for the exact vote total but had been made available by press time. Former Councilmember Steve Martin recalls a margin close to 5%. Prop AA failed and West Hollywood would continue to renew its contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriff.
At the time the Los Angeles Times reported, “Supporters of the measure stressed the need for local control while citing a report by a panel headed by former Judge James G. Kolts that harshly criticized the Sheriff’s Department. Opponents, who argue that a switch could bankrupt the city, singled out other parts of the report praising community policing efforts in West Hollywood and said it is the wrong time to abandon attempts to reform the department.”
It’s now almost 30 years later and today’s budget for the sheriff department contract is approaching 26 million dollars. The City of West Hollywood has developed it’s economy and created a tax base that can afford to pay City Staff among the most generous salaries and benefits, and affords our residents wonderful social services. Our AAA credit rating allows us to issue bonds to continue to service these priorities and build new infrastructure. But our investments to Public Safety are enormous without lasting benefits. The turnover at the Sheriff homogenizes the sensitivity to our unique needs. We are not building a workforce that belongs to West Hollywood, lives in West Hollywood, or shares our unique issues and values.
In this years 2021 West Hollywood budget approximately 18% is spent on Public Safety or just shy of 26million dollars. At last month’s Public Safety meeting discussions centered around upcoming priorities and the possibility of a supplemental security force, or homeless outreach team. Those expenditures would be in addition to the Sheriff’s Contract.
Lately I’ve noticed that most of the sheriff cars are missing the rainbow symbol of the City of West Hollywood. Former Councilmember Steve Martin filled me in on the origins of the rainbow version of the city logo developed by the then City Manager Charles Makinney. The deputies traveling downtown in the rainbow logo vehicles would be made fun of and they were removed. Martin brought the item forward and the rainbow logos were reinstated.
I reached out to Lt. Bill Moulder to ask where the rainbow logos are now? He replied quickly that due to the rotation in the fleet there are vehicles that no longer have the rainbow West Hollywood identification. But he added that an example was submitted to the City last week and approved. The decal will now be put into production and will place them on vehicles that do not currently have them when they arrive.
Last week the City Council voted to move forward and audit the Los Angeles County Sheriff after recent allegations over billing practices. At last weeks city council meeting Councilmember Erickson stated “I am slowly losing confidence in the sheriff’s department”. “They are not being responsive to members of our community who call them for very simple tasks and that is concerning to me.”
It’s clear that West Hollywood has a unique demographic that requires a different approach. If we want a truly ‘sensitive’ police department that understands our unique needs we cannot outsource to the County. Can you imagine the possibilities and social impact of a West Hollywood Police Department?
Beverly Hills has their own police department. West Hollywood contracts with Beverly Hills for the use of their parking enforcement officers. Our City Council, all proud Democrats all belong to the Beverly Hills/West Hollywood Democratic Club. There are relationships to build upon. Perhaps it is time for look at new ways to address our public safety needs.
When the public at-large loses confidence in their Sheriff dept. and when City Council members echo the need for change it just may be the time to let the voters decide once again.
How is this arrangement legal? Did the city attorneys review consider the consequences of not having a check on the Sheriff, detectives, deputies, etc? Did the state chime in on this considering that California has no state police? After enduring brutality in November and January, I have sought a review of these actions. No police and no state police combined with inaccessible municipal employees leaves me in a helpless situation. Even seeking counsel is impossible with admitted Stingray technology (see ACLU web site) and possible “blackballing”. There are many problems to fix in this deceptively corrupt little city. 1.) Start… Read more »
How about approaching BEVERLY HILLS POLICE. The most powerful police force in the country. B.H. has a vested interest in keeping crime low in neighboring WeHo AND already act on a moment’s notice if a growing threat might move towards BH, AND JOIN TO STOP IT IN WEHO, long before any real risk ever comes close to BH A West Hollywood division, under BH Creation, Management and a joint interests in stopping the same crimes, for different reasons, but same desire AND VAST RESOURCES ON HAND IF NEEDED. With same budget, could BH provide a West Hollywood Police Department, with… Read more »
[…] Op-Ed: ‘West Hollywood Police Dept?’ – WEHOville https://wehoonline.com/2021/06/13/op-ed-west-hollywood-police-dept/ […]
Until we elect RuPaul as Mayor we are doomed. He knows how to get things done and would improve things quickly.
If we can’t even get the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Department in order what makes you so sure that you can maintain a West Hollywood Police Department?
We must simply partner with the Beverly Hills police dept. who have a proven track record. There is no need to start from scratch and reinvent the wheel. This doesn’t have to be complicated!
Other local cities that have their own police departments spend approx. 3x what WeHo spends for its Sheriff’s contract. They still have a police force that can’t afford to live in the city where they work.
How would a 200 +/- member department handle training, HR, and major events? How would that compare with the manner in which those things currently function?
Also – how would a 200 +/- member department handle ‘patronage’ if (when) pushed by an elected Councilmember, or an unhappy Chamber of Commerce board member?
Oh boy, another disaster-in-the-making unfolding in the City of the Wee Hoes! LA should’ve pushed harder to annex the dump in the ’20s, but Moe Sherman wasn’t having it, fearing zoning control from the LA City Council. My grand auntie lived on Huntley Dr. back in those days, her husband being president of Home Ice Co. of Los Angeles, the ice house of which become the Arena Café part of Gene Lapietra’s Circus Disco complex. They wanted some order to the melee that was Sherman (later WeeHoe), and hoped that annexation would provide that. Moe Sherman wasn’t having it. Now… Read more »
What mess? We would be much worse off if we were part of LA City.
I think this needs to happen. WeHo is a small, but very dense, and divirse city. We need law enforcement dedicated to keeping the peace here. I had an incident where a homeless man tried to enter my apt, and i called the Sherriff, who are one mile away, and it took them 20 minutes to arrive! Of course the guy was gone by then. just last night a nude black man was walking down my friends street, and the stabbing at Park LaBrea is just devastating. We need patrols, there is too much craziness out there!
the “nude black man” walking down your friends (sic) street …
was it a crime that he was nude, or was it a crime that he was black?
not sure why you needed to mention the shade of his skin.
Calm down Mikey! There was no racism in Terry’s comment. There’s no need to get your panties in a knot! We should all band together and love each other!
Park La Brea has nothing to do with Weho. Also, the homeless issue is just staggering right now. Often, the police can do nothing about them. So having police versus Sheriffs would make no difference. The laws in LA County protect the homeless.
I do remember that shortly after this narrow defeat, the Sheriff’s department became a lot more polite towards the residents or WeHo and the rainbow logos started appearing. Now it seems we are back to indifferent service and absurd response times. Time for another referendum. I will, at leapt, get their attention.
why do we need rainbow logo’s????
To show that the police are not the enemies of the community.
I agree. Weho is no longer the gay ghetto.
HAHAHAHA! What would you call it?
In addition to my earlier remarks: I have no confidence in the current sheriff who is in over his head and an app;logist for bad policing. Remember that “leaders” influence and views always filter down to the people who do the work. And that’s one reason police are no longer trusted and have become so distant and arrogant.
Policing in all of LA is passive. The result is a filthy city with homeless everywhere and a declining quality of life.
It’s not the fault of law enforcement….but the politicians pandering to every “victim” group at the expense of the majority of tax payers. It’s the same situation in NYC, Chicago, Seattle etc. So I don’t trust WH to have it’s own police force……look at the insanity of our City Council.