It looks like West Hollywood will bring back some sheriff's deputies to patrol their city, but they won't be bringing back as many as some people in the community want.
A decision about hiring more deputies was not finalized by the West Hollywood City Council until late Monday night. This recent decision came about a year after the city voted to remove the number of sheriff's deputies on the streets in exchange for what they call "ambassadors."
"Their primary role is provide an unarmed, highly visible and uniform presence throughout the city of West Hollywood," said David Aguilar, with the Block By Block Security Ambassador Program. "And act as a visual deterrent to unwanted behavior."
The Block By Block Ambassador Program has 85 people patrolling the streets. The city said it's a way to offer safety, escorts and to respond to non-violent calls.
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But some residents think the ambassador program led to a spike in crime last year. They cited an incident that took place last week in an ally where surveillance video showed four people armed assault riffles robing customers.
They say it was a mistake by the city to defund sheriff's deputies.
