Shea Gibson has observed a troubling change in the temperament of the city’s streets.
The Operations Manager of the city’s Block By Block program told the Public Safety Commission this week that he’s been speaking to his teams about a sense of rising crime spreading throughout West Hollywood.
“Has there been a change to the type of calls that Block by Block is responding to?” asked Commissioner Tod Hallman.
“We still have the same transient response-type calls, but we are starting to receive more calls that are of a violent nature,” Gibson said. “People seem to be having more weapons, or people in cars with masks on. We’ve been receiving quite a few calls in regards to people that look like they’re staking out homes. I think it comes from the fact that people are nervous and they’re scared and they’re seeing new faces and vehicles and things of this nature.”
He relayed a recent experience in an alley off of North Poinsettia on the city’s East Side. A resident had reported a person in a parked vehicle who appeared to be casing the neighborhood. When Gibson pulled up behind the suspect’s vehicle, the suspect drove ahead and used a driveway to turn around. His vehicle now facing Gibson’s, the suspect drove forward “as if he wanted to engage in a game of chicken.” The suspect then swerved around Gibson and fled the scene.
“Maybe that was an intimidation factor — I don’t know,” he said. “The car had no plates.”
Meanwhile, the new Block by Block safety kiosk stationed near La Brea and Santa Monica Blvd. has seen little action and little usage.
“So far it’s been kind of basic,” Gibson responded when asked by Commissioner Robert Oliver.
“A lot of people are asking more about Metro times — ‘When is the bus bench gonna come back?’ So we haven’t really faced any type of situations as far as any assault.”
Is this the Nika Soon-Shiong pictured who’s dad is worth $7 billion and owner of the increasingly left wing monkey mart that ignores the rise in street crime.
I’m glad to see that, thanks to Chair Berger drift boss, the Commission is finally able to do some basic things.
Not according to delusional Sheriffs Deputies. Everything is hunky dory.
You could double the sheriff’s Dept and hire a hundred more “Ambassadors” but it’s not going to do a darn thing for the new trend of follow home robberies. These animals are catching on that it’s easier and safer for them to come to your home rather than rob you on the street (although many still do). Home invasions are also on the rise for the same reasons. It might be time to start taking your own safety into your own hands. Ask yourself, if someone is trying to knock down my door, can I protect myself? Because at that… Read more »
Commisioners cannot be surprised by this. Rising crime globally, in my own opinion, is a reaction to an enemy none of us can see. An enemy that kills indiscriminately and often. That shape shifts to wreak further death and destruction. We are all held hostage, worldwide by a virus that has stopped us in our lives; no matter what our lives were, the day before it arrived. As a species very used to and excited by our capabilty to all manner of the violence we visit on humans, animals and the planet – this is a challenge writ both large… Read more »
If you want a picture of the future, imagine the overly emotional face of a politician, employing pathos as she tells you to accept that you’ll be forfeiting more of your rights forever
So the neighborhood ambassadors (a group I have NEVER heard of before now) are seeing increases in crime and violence. When will the city council see it?
I agree with you JF1 and Jose. I chose to not live in San Francisco over a 10 + years ago decided because the rise in lawless homeless and also the antics of extreme groups like Antifa to public nuisance intoxication nudity, petty theft, needles and drugs on streets, I chose to not move to the Golden Gate City. Also, formerly George Gascon was and appointed not elected at the helm as San Francisco district Attorney before being ousted as city attorney, now his damage is being done here in Los Angeles! London Breed has enabled the area to become… Read more »
I have the same question as Mr. Gibson: What’s with the removal of the bus benches? Whose idea was it: Metro’s or West Hollywood’s? Will they be replaced? And what was the purpose of removing them? If the intent was to discourage homeless people from sleeping on the benches, that “decider” might remember there are only a couple dozen homeless in the city. There are a lot more senior citizens who rely on the benches than that — and we vote and pay taxes that support public transit. The homeless sleep in doorways and openly on the sidewalk anyway, so… Read more »
That’s liberalism…punish law abiding citizens instead of the criminals and losers…masks for healthy people, take guns away from responsible gun owners, defund the police to protect criminals, take away bus benches for senior citizens. If you voted for liberals you deserve all of the misery you get.
I agree with Jose, people are trying to create their own statistics and downplay violent crime. What about the young man trying to protect his girlfriend and murdered by 5 masked gunmen on Sunset Blvd who shot him 8 times point plank. The women followed into the Troubadour by masked gunmen with AK-47 assault rifles. It’s terrifying that these criminals are masked terrorists, looking to intimidate threaten, bodily harm and kill people wherever they want without fear of capture, arrests or retribution. These people on here who don’t want to mention those violent crimes are delusional, want the narrative to… Read more »
All black men, hate crimes against Asians all black men, most murders in America black men FACTS!…but BLM has all the solutions for everyone else but their miserable selves.
“People in cars with masks on.” Yes….what could be behind that…did that start sometime after say April of 2020 by any chance? Better call the block ambassadors.
We’re seeing a rise in violence on the streets (and skyrocketing homicides) because our “leaders” have defunded the police, don’t prosecute “lower” crimes, no bail, etc. Enough of this crap. A criminal is a criminal no matter the color of their skin and they should be held accountable for their crimes so that law abiding citizen (which are the vast majority) can live in peace. Even today the mayor of San Francisco has changed her tune after agreeing to defund the police just months ago she is now asking for emergency funding for the police because her city (under her… Read more »
Has the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Dept. been “defunded” or are you speaking about generic measures that have not been generally instituted around the country? Please provide statistics regarding local law enforcement since San Francisco’s policy is not relevant here.
I agree with you JF1 and Jose. I chose to not live in San Francisco over a 10 + years ago decided because the rise in lawless homeless and also the antics of extreme groups like Antifa to public nuisance intoxication nudity, petty theft, needles and drugs on streets, I chose to not move to the Golden Gate City. Also, formerly George Gascon was and appointed not elected at the helm as San Francisco district Attorney before being ousted as city attorney, now his damage is being done here in Los Angeles! London Breed has enabled the area to become… Read more »
I agree totally with your and Jose’s statements!
What we need are adults with basic commonsense running this city. Instead, and like every other lunatic asylum led by Far Left Democrats, is anarchy and chaos.
Open borders, lawlessness, and insane instability across the board. Every single major city run by Far Left Soros despots is in a spiral to the bottom of the Third World.