Dozens of West Hollywood residents turned out Wednesday night for a neighborhood meeting at the Great Hall in Plummer Park, where Flock Safety cameras dominated a wide-ranging conversation that also touched on the Fountain Avenue redesign, public safety in the park, and a new program that lets residents request deputy check-ins while they’re on vacation.
The meeting was co-hosted by the Ogden Owls and the Eastside Neighborhood Watch. Michael Carter of the Ogden Owls and Steve Martin of the Eastside Neighborhood Watch introduced the featured speakers: City Manager Jackie Rocco and West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station Captain Fanny Lapkin. Mayor John Heilman and Councilmember Chelsea Byers also showed up and took questions from the public.
Jackie Rocco
Rocco said she welcomed the chance for “open, unscripted dialogue” with the community. She has worked for the City since 2008 and took over as City Manager in January.
“I’m here to serve,” she said. “I want to ensure that the residents and City Hall are connected.”
She said she understood that capital projects hit residents differently and that parking losses sting.
“Every parking space is precious,” she said.
City staff updated residents on the Plummer Park Visioning process. Helen Collins, the City’s infrastructure director, said the Fountain Avenue redesign plans were nearing completion and that construction could begin by the end of 2026.
Flock Safety
The cameras drew the most heat. West Hollywood City Council voted 3-2 earlier this month to keep the Flock Safety license plate reader program after a review that surfaced an undisclosed 2024 pilot in which camera data was shared with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations.
Residents at Wednesday’s meeting said they were worried the federal government could eventually get its hands on the records.
Heilman said he understood the concern but framed it as a balancing act.
“We have to hear from people with different and disparate views and formulate policies that we believe are best for the residents,” he said. “We need to make sure we have sufficient guard rails to protect this information from being abused.”
He said fears about ICE or other federal agencies demanding access remain largely speculative for now.
Lapkin did not back away from the cameras.
“The overwhelming number of criminals who come to West Hollywood do so in stolen cars,” she said.
She said a recent camera tip led to the arrest of a suspect in a hit-and-run that injured one of her deputies.
Safe Vacation Program
Lapkin also announced that residents can now request deputy check-ins on their homes while they are away on vacation. She did not give a start date. Residents can contact the West Hollywood Sheriff’s station for details.
Other Topics
Residents also raised questions about tree removal, public safety conditions in Plummer Park, and the potential loss of parking from proposed bike lanes on Gardner Street.
Related Coverage:
• West Hollywood Puts Flock Safety on Trial Tonight. Here’s What the Review Found.
• West Hollywood Council Divided Over Flock Cameras as Rollout Resumes
• West Hollywood Selects Jackie Rocco as Its First Female City Manager
• West Hollywood Calls Coyote Meeting After Eastside Residents Plead for Help
I have always found that when someone asks for an “open, unscripted dialogue” that’s the dead last thing they actually want to engage in.
Especially in this city. That and “let’s have a conversation.”
Oh, yikes! Anytime I hear a progressive say “conversation” or “intersectionality” I cringe.
It’s incredible to think people are more worried about protecting the privacy of people that are in the country illegally over their own safety. The cameras are needed to assist in keeping residents safe. Happy to see the program moving forward.
Thank you Brian for your coverage.
I am fortunate to have off-street parking, but nonetheless appreciate City Manager Jackie Rocco referencing how ‘precious’ street parking is.
The Fountain Ave road and parking diet is an expensive boondoggle in the making, which I predict will be reversed at significant further expense within a few years, after data shows minimal use by occasional bicyclists and maximal disruption to daily-impacted local residents.
The data you’re describing has already been proven time and time again for the last 20 years of this experiment.