Question raised about deputies escorting city officials at National Night Out

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Sheriff’s deputies served as security escorts for several WeHo City Councilmembers and commissioners at National Night Out on Tuesday, the department confirmed after resident Alan Strasburg raised the question in a letter to Capt. Bill Moulder.

“We have traditionally accepted requests to escort City Council Members for National Night Out,” Moulder responded.  “Mayor Meister, Lieutenant Lapkin and I traveled together.  This year, there was a request for escorts for the Public Safety Commission.  Chair Tory Berger, Vice Chair Kerri Balbone, and Commissioner Robert Oliver had Deputy escorts, with City Staff accompanying them.”

The conversation continued in a back-and-forth correspondence between Strasburg, WEHOville and other city officials.

“This is incredibly bad optics, particularly for a commmissioner-candidate who voted for the PSC motion to defund the LASD by $3.6 million,” Strasburg wrote, referring to Robert Oliver, who originally supported a reduction in funding for the sheriff before switching his position. “This motion set off a period of angst and division in this city that continues to this day.”

Strasburg wondered how the escorts/ride-alongs were being paid for.

“As Captain Moulder mentioned, the City has historically offered and coordinated transportation for City Councilmembers, Public Safety Commissioners, and Staff during the NNO event with our West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station,” wrote Community Safety Director Danny Rivas. “This approach has been consistent over the years and extending transportation to our City Councilmembers, Public Safety Commissioners, and Staff is intended to enhance the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community under positive circumstances which is a top priority for the City Council, Public Safety Commission, and Staff.”

“You didn’t answer my question about where the hours come from for these efforts,” Strasburg wrote back to Rivas.  “In (Mayor Pro Tem) Sepi (Shyne)’s new ‘fiscal responsibility’ mantra, are these hours taken from the block of hours we pay for public safety, or are they a separate line item?  We have increasingly limited LASD resources and I want to see those resources used to protect us.  Again, I understand the wisdom of community outreach.”

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“With regard to the question concerning hours and LASD resources, the transportation that is provided every year at NNO events is performed by our West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station Community Impact Team (CIT) Deputies,” Rivas wrote. “This is a Special Team the City funds separate from patrol services that works closely with our neighborhood watch/resident association groups, businesses, and City staff to address a variety of quality of life issues. In addition, CIT Deputies are responsible for conducting extensive outreach in the City as part of their community policing efforts and are required to be present at NNO events whether or not they are providing transportation to City Councilmembers, Public Safety Commissioners, or Staff.”

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Michael on Havenhurst Drive
Michael on Havenhurst Drive
2 years ago

Give me a break. These council members like Shyne, Horvath and Erickson. They’re nobodies. They’re disillusional. They think they’re important. People are threatening them? They invented that to get more attention.. They’re the ones that have defended the former murderer and robber to had their Block to Block fiasco. Of course as we approach November, the story will be picked up again nationally. To embarrass these three political hacks and make West Hollywood a bigger joke than it is right now for ever electing these three. Again, how much commissioner or kick back are they getting from the BBB corporate… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Michael on Havenhurst Drive
Marc
Marc
2 years ago

I think even the ‘woke’ people will be more careful about who they vote for in light of the destructive policies the left promotes. If your public officials really could care less about you and the City, impeach, vote them out, and let them know they can move to Cuba if they’re unhappy.

Randy
Randy
2 years ago

If Councilmembers and commissioners weren’t receiving threats, this wouldn’t be necessary. I don’t care if it seems hypocritical. Deputies are also available for other events, such as Pride, and Halloween. I blame the people who are threatening our public servants, just because they disagree with their policies. This world has become so toxic.

Ian
Ian
2 years ago
Reply to  Randy

Threats? Hardly, they don’t feel safe in the crime ridden city they took it upon themselves to help create. They don’t have a right to feel any safer than the people who pay their salaries!!!
NONE of them should feel “safe”, we sure in hell don’t feel safe because of their lunatic actions to defund the police and replace them with bicycle mall security. Utterly insane.

West
2 years ago
Reply to  Randy

Based on Sepi Shyne previous description of snarky Wehoville comments as “threats”, I wouldn’t presume anything.

West
2 years ago
Reply to  Randy

Shyne Erickson and Horvath have abused their public positions to target their political critics careers and livelihoods. The public need protection from THEM!

Randy
Randy
2 years ago
Reply to  West

West, if the public needs protection, then maybe you should change your stance on vaccinations and masks. But for you, it is all about “freedom and love.” Way to sell it. The public needs protection from YOU!

Randy
Randy
2 years ago
Reply to  Randy

Does anyone on this thread understand the word “if?” Once again, “if?” I’ve heard rumors, but have no evidence of this happening, but IF it is, they deserve personal protection, just like any public servant, whether you support their positions, or not.

Ian
Ian
2 years ago

Feeling unsafe in a city they go over the heads of voters to defund police? Yet they want police protection? This is the glaring hypocrisy of the Far Left. What they should do is resign and leave the city. We have scamming anarchists embedded in our city council funded by a dangerous billionaire lunatic who lives for anarchy..

Police for them, but not for you! That is the case in every city they cause mayhem in. Ask Miss Gasgon about her police protection.

JF1
JF1
2 years ago

Bravo to Alan for pressing the issue!! (God, I wish he’d run for city council. We need reason and intelligence on the council). Sepi Shyne better not dare ever asked for a sheriffs escort. And as for Oliver, anybody that votes for him needs to get their head checked and their priorities. We don’t want anybody that changes their philosophical political beliefs every time the wind blows.

Totally Manufactured Outrage
Totally Manufactured Outrage
2 years ago

Council members and commissioners have ridden with sheriffs on national night out every year. It used to be all of them, and it’s sad that it isn’t anymore. Some won’t even be seen working/riding with cops. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️ It’s good to see young people showing they can work respectfully with law enforcement. Shameful that people just want to take cheap political shots.

WehoQueen
WehoQueen
2 years ago

Was it totally manufactured outrage when a “defund the police” councilmember was caught using the Sheriffs for their private car errand service, under the totally manufactured outrage guise of “it’s so dangerous in my city”? You’re the kind of person who is everything wrong with our city, along with the Josh Kurpies types out there who just want to lecture everyone else.

greeneyedguy
greeneyedguy
2 years ago
Reply to  WehoQueen

was caught using the Sheriffs for their private car errand service,”

Where is the evidence of this? Are you just making this up?

JF1
JF1
2 years ago

It’s absolutely disgusting what our city Council has voted to do to the sheriffs department and putting our public safety at risk. Shame. Shame. Shame.

Randy
Randy
2 years ago

Spot on. Thank you.

TomS
TomS
2 years ago

Hypocracy at its best.Why didn’t they use the Ambassadors they implemented?
These officers should not have been here during this crime crises we have that’s unrecognized by this defund City Counsel. Shame on them

JF1
JF1
2 years ago
Reply to  TomS

Because they know that nice guys in golf shirts with radios couldn’t protect them anymore than their grandmother could.

Manny
Manny
2 years ago

National Night Out is exactly where we want to see and chat with our sheriffs deputies. The more that show up the better. The ease of mobility that they provide council members and public safety commissioners during a tight schedule is a perfect use of our law enforcement professionals, and a good way to come together and appreciate each other.

Steve Martin
Steve Martin
2 years ago
Reply to  Manny

It was also a great example of the professionalism of our WeHo deputies who escorted the members of City Council and Public Safety Commission, some of whom had denounced these same deputies during the over heated debate over de-funding their budget. While our local deputies were subjected to all sorts of unfounded and absurd accusations, they are too much of a class act to let the politicians and the self righteous advocates get under their skin.

Randy
Randy
2 years ago
Reply to  Steve Martin

Exactly, Steve.

:dpb
:dpb
2 years ago
Reply to  Manny

So you’re saying the public in need of help, assistance and reporting criminal behavior do not need fast response and immediate reaction. But the very people that defunded them do. Shameful.

Manny
Manny
2 years ago
Reply to  :dpb

No, that’s not what I’m saying at all. But I understand your frustration.

Randy
Randy
2 years ago
Reply to  Manny

Thank you, Manny. Nice to agree on something.

kab1200
kab1200
2 years ago
Reply to  Manny

Yes

West
2 years ago

Alan thanks for your steadfastness keeping our leaders accountable to the people.

Alan Strasburg
Alan Strasburg
2 years ago
Reply to  West

As Lauren Meister said in adjourning Monday night’s city council meeting, the residents are still on the top of the org chart!

Steve Martin
Steve Martin
2 years ago
Reply to  Alan Strasburg

I wish all of the City Council members and City Hall management had a copy of Mayor Meister’s chart.

JF1
JF1
2 years ago
Reply to  Steve Martin

I don’t think residents are on their chart at all.

WeHo Resident
WeHo Resident
2 years ago

I am for funding more sheriffs, but I honestly think this is a non-story…. City Council members should be safe when at public events. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Wacky Weho
Wacky Weho
2 years ago
Reply to  WeHo Resident

Why would they feel unsafe? Could they fear repercussions for unpopular policies? Not here, in WeHo, where we don’t need professional police, surely

Randy
Randy
2 years ago
Reply to  Wacky Weho

They feel unsafe because they’ve received threats.

Alan Strasburg
Alan Strasburg
2 years ago
Reply to  WeHo Resident

We should all enjoy being safe in public.

Randy
Randy
2 years ago
Reply to  Alan Strasburg

Yes, Alan.

JF1
JF1
2 years ago
Reply to  WeHo Resident

Anybody that voted to defund the sheriffs should feel confident in their alternate solution of security ambassadors and not well-trained armed police officers.

Last edited 2 years ago by JF1
Davedi
Davedi
2 years ago

If they are afraid of their own public maybe they should use the army for protection like they do in some other less desirable countries.

Michael on Havenhurst Drive
Michael on Havenhurst Drive
2 years ago

This safety charade is more Woke nonsense from Sepi Shyne to promote political wannabes who think they are the second coming of the Democrat Party. Oliver voted for Shyne’s “reimagination of not getting mugged” and protected by Block By Block “safety patrols” supervised by a convicted murderer.  In most cities, BBB cleans up streets and alleys where the homeless continually defecate, like Santa Monica Blvd. At $70,000 a year, these amateurs will stand in booths everyone avoids, as in Santa Monica, because members sleep behind them, as recently seen in a WeHoVille image. Who gets the kickback commission from Block… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Michael on Havenhurst Drive