A few years ago, West Hollywood issued an official decree that calls for pets (dogs, cats, and your occasional goldfish) to be called “pet companions.” Their human owners were to be referred to as “guardians.” The city council also approved an ordinance prohibiting the sale of animal hair. West Hollywood currently doesn’t allow for the sale of any fur products within the city limits. It also includes wool.
Because the city banned only the SalePride Parade participants could wear fake furs and feathers. Leather, no-back chaps can still be worn by the substantial gay community of West Hollywood 12 months out of the year, you just can’t sell your fur throw.
In short, West Hollywood has always been “out there” with city council silliness, but the aforementioned weirdness was just, well, silly, not harmful to the city residents. On Monday, the council voted 3-2 to defund police officers. The council decided to reduce its police force in order to address the increase of crime by 137 percent.
Sepi Shyne (Mayor Pro Tem) is one of three Councilmembers that voted to reduce the budget for policing. Her bio says she’s gay, which in West Hollywood is like saying your breathing; she voted to replace cops, saying that it was time to “reimagine policing.” She assuaged concerned city residents that the city’s massive increase in crime will be met with force. The city will deploy a force of 30 “safety ambassadors” to replace cops.
By voting along with my courage colleagues last night, I fulfilled the community’s wishes for better public safety services and social services. @LindseyPHorvath @ourWEHOA 3 to 2 vote. Check out the below:
— Mayor Pro Tem Sepi Shyne (@SepiShyne) June 28, 2022
Shyne proudly announced on Twitter that Shyne would be bringing back the Entertainment Policing Team as part of her city budget. I don’t know what that means, or how that will solve skyrocketing crime, but Shyne is pretty proud of her efforts to cut cops from the budget. Shyne’s bio tell us that she lives in West Hollywood with her wife and fur-babies. One wonders, if one of her fur babies is stolen off a leash, will she dial 911 and ask for a cop–or request that the city roll out a safety ambassador?
The Minneapolis City Council decided to reduce police funding after Floyd rioters set fire to a Minneapolis police headquarters. Shocker – It didn’t work out. Reality had finally set in by December 2021.
It’s not all bad news for West Hollywood, though. It increased the budget of its Russian Arts Festival. The city tripled the amount. I don’t know about you, but – Russian Arts Festival? Russian? Hello, West Hollywood… who isn’t triggered, just by the thought, the very mention of a ‘Russian’ Arts Festival? By the way, there’s no Ukrainian flag in the TwitterThe city is clearly visible, and it makes me wonder which side West Hollywood is on. Do I have the right idea?
Will safety officers ever be called to confront the criminals when they start looting festivals booths full of Russian eggs and vodka, red leather chaps and faux fur boas? Who knows, but it won’t be cops. Good luck, “WeHoCity” (yes that’s what they call their city) with fewer cops; it has worked out spectacularly for every city that’s tried it.
About Post Author
