Upscale West Hollywood votes to DEFUND sheriff's department even as crime soars by 137% - while savings will be used to fund 30 unarmed 'security ambassadors' and a Russian arts festival

• West Hollywood's five-member city council voted on Monday night to cut the funding from the sheriffs' department
• They will reduce the current size of the sheriffs department from approximately 60 deputies to 56, and the funds saved will be redistributed
• With the money from reducing the headcount by four, the council plans to pay for 30 unarmed 'security ambassadors' to patrol the area
• Mayor Lauren Meister voted against the proposal, as did one of her colleagues: the other three councillors voted in favor of defunding the sheriffs
• Crime in West Hollywood had this spring risen by 137 percent, year on year, with a wave of pickpocketing complaints and theft hitting the popular area
  
  
  
• West Hollywood's city council voted on Monday to defund their sheriffs - despite crime earlier this spring rocketing 137 percent, year on year.

  The proposal will see the current force of around 60 sheriffs' deputies reduced by four.

  Funds saved by reducing the headcount will be used to pay for unarmed 'security ambassadors' under a scheme called Block By Block.

  Despite slashing the policing budget, the council agreed to stump up funds for a Russian arts festival - increasing their contribution by $14,000 to $50,000.

  Lauren Meister, mayor of West Hollywood and a member of the council who voted against the plan, called it illogical, noting that the Los Angeles enclave is afflicted by violence.
  
  
  

  'I'm not going to vote for the budget if we cut the sheriff's (funds),' Meister said, according to local news site WeHoville.com. 

  'First of all, nobody has the gun problem that we have in this country. You can't expect us to have a public safety team where most of the people aren't armed in order to defend our citizens.' 

  West Hollywood Sheriff's Station polices the City of West Hollywood and the unincorporated communities of Franklin Canyon, Universal City - which includes Universal Theme Park, Studios, and Citywalk - and the Federal Enclave in West Los Angeles. 

  Fellow councilman John M. Erickson, voted with her to oppose the plan.

  'Community safety is our number one concern,' he told Fox News. 

  'When I've heard from countless residents about how they want to feel safer, that involves comprehensive planning and something that is not just drawn out over a decision.' 

  The proposal was passed three votes to their two. 

  Sepi Shyne, who proposed the plan, said the sheriffs cost too much, and the Block by Block program represented more 'bang for the buck.'

  'What we know now is our residents want foot patrols,' said Shyne. 

  'We need to be fiscally responsible.
  
  'And we have all talked for two years. Reimagining policing means reallocating funding. You can't just say it without actually doing it. Period.'