Confessions of Block by Block Security Ambassadors.

The following are written and oral testimony from three Block by Block Security Ambassadors.  

“Currently some team leads and supervisors maintain a special group chat called the VIP Group Chat, where they share private information and actively monitor employees’ Facebook and Instagram accounts.  They collect personal details, observe private behaviors, and use this information to intimidate, manipulate, or control employees.”  

“From 2024 until now, one council member Lauren Meister requested that we clear her street so she could walk her dog.   This required multiple patrols during the night and morning when most homeless were looking for a spot to sleep. ”  

“It is critical for you and West Hollywood residents to know that ambassadors’ primary responsibility is to remain at the kiosks, per direct orders from Danny Rivas.   This restriction prevents staff from responding promptly to calls, leading to extreme stress and frustration among employees.   Residents, in turn, angry about delayed responses though the root cause is the mandatory kiosk coverage not a lack of effort by the team.”   

“Following a tragic accident on Fountain Avenue a month ago, concerns about workplace safety intensified.   Employees reported that despite the incident and obvious dangers of road management they continued to require staff to patrol the area on bicycles.    Ambassadors were forced to travel from base to Fountain Avenue and patrol the route, often in unsafe conditions, until the new security company assumed control approximately two weeks ago.”   

“Only two weeks ago we received a message from Erica Leon, directing patrol coverage from 6:30 am, to 8am.   These patrols were around City Hall employees,– who are highly influential and powerful, and very disrespectful toward most ambassadors – prioritize their own safety over that of West Hollywood residents.    They [management] are concerned about homeless individuals and demand additional protection while leaving resident safety largely unaddressed.   Erica Leon got that order via email from Danny Rivas. ”  

“The blacks do get let go quicker, they have like a lessor tolerance for them.   When it comes to the hispanics they either get promoted or stay in their same position.”

“Erica lies to us a lot, I think she doesn’t tell us the truth, she is a dishonest person, she’s rude doesn’t know to lead properly.   And since everything has came out she has been in hiding.    And me personally it has stopped me from being able to move forward elsewhere.    I’ve actually applied for another job and haven’t been successful in getting my employment verification because Erica is not pro-active with answering her emails.”

“The new company pays us less.   They are paying us $21.   We get paid a lot more.   I didn’t know any of this was coming.   One day Erica is like city hall hasn’t signed off on anything, and then one day its a go with the contract, – kind of shady to me, kind of raised an eyebrow.”

“You feel like you work harder than your hispanic peers, I feel more qualified to be a manager, you don’t get the acknowledgment from out in the streets, as far as Erica .     All the managers are hispanic.   There are no black managers.   Blacks are half the team.  Never seen it, never had a black manager here in my years.    

“They have a less tolerance for the black employees.   They kind of let them go quicker.  Erica kind of antagonizes them on the way out.   Everybody who has been let go she antagonizes them or is aggressive towards them.   I think its shady that she is the new boss, and it was planned all along.    I don’t want to work underneath her [Erica Leon] at all.   that Erica is still the boss.”      

“I’m a good Block by Block ambassador.   Alot of people have a lot of positive things to say about me.   I don’t have anything on my name.  I’m out here, I’m pro-active, I make sure I do my job.   But, I can’t work under the new regime.   I won’t.  I know I wont be treated fairly.”    

“Everybody knows the management team all comes from the same hometown.   We know to stay away from them and stick to each other.   Watch out for them, stay away from them.”

“I like working in West Hollywood, its alot of really nice people.  I’ve met alot of really genuine people.  I have alot of friends that work and live in West Hollywood.   I do like West Hollywood a lot.   

“When Block by Block first started it was small to where we can go help residents, but then poor management, poor supervision, they expanded the supervisors were the lazy ones.   They would come and go and clock in and leave.   One person clocked in and then left for a security job in Hollywood for four hours and then came back to clock out’

“How is it possible that Erica Leon, who had no prior security experience was appointed General Manager of West Hollywood account, despite the fact that Shea Gibson was performing exceptionally well at that time, – successfully expanding the account from only the East side to the entire West Hollywood, with employees receiving significant raises and widespread satisfaction among the staff.”  

“Liz is the one that had the DUI accident, she was Shea’s right hand person, they don’t do anything in that office, they just eat and drive around in that truck.    If they are switching companies they need to be switching the management, they are going to be doing the same thing.    Kissing Tod Hallman’s ass on the east side.”  

“Funny how the Bike Coalition guy went up there [Kevin Burton] at mondays city council meeting to compliment Block by Block, – he used to hate Block by Block . ” 

McDonalds would give the ambassadors free food.    We all just went there.   They go there for food and hang out, don’t do anything till they get dispatched.     

“Another best one, the bike shop, Bikes and Hikes.    Shea bought the bikes off Danny and he hated Danny so bad he would take the bikes out of the city to be repaired.  [Danny Roman was a former Public Safety Commissioner who is also the owner of Bikes and Hikes. ] 

“Erica right now, makes no sense to keep her with the new company.”   

“This program was meant for community safety and public service, but it appears to be about politics. How can the new company, with the same management, truly serve the community when it’s built on a biased foundation?”