The City Council of the City of West Hollywood, at its regular meeting on Monday, August 18, 2025, approved an agreement with Allied Universal Security Services to provide West Hollywood Security Ambassadors program services throughout the City, replacing the City’s current contracted partner, Block by Block, for uninterrupted services. Approval follows a comprehensive Request-for-Proposals (RFP) review process.

The City’s current service agreement with Block by Block is scheduled to end on September 30, 2025; the City’s new service agreement with Allied Universal Security Services is scheduled to begin on October 1, 2025. Block by Block personnel have been informed of the forthcoming changes in the West Hollywood Security Ambassadors program. Personnel who wish to continue serving as Security Ambassadors have been encouraged to submit applications with Allied Universal Security Services for consideration for employment, as the company prepares to launch services.

Allied Universal Security Services has a long history of successfully providing security services in communities across California and throughout the United States. Allied Universal Security Services will provide uniformed bicycle, kiosk, foot patrol, fixed post, special event, and transit Security Ambassador program services in the City of West Hollywood. The West Hollywood Security Ambassadors program will maintain its current organizational structure, which includes security ambassadors, team leaders, safety officers, supervisors, and a general manager.

The West Hollywood Security Ambassadors program has a direct positive impact on safety and neighborhood livability. The program provides a highly visible uniformed presence at the street level and focuses on safety as well as hospitality in West Hollywood with specific emphasis on supporting a more robust, accessible, and welcoming presence where people shop, walk, and enjoy recreation. Security Ambassadors at kiosks located throughout the City regularly assist community members and visitors, supplement West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station patrols and, in emergencies, work in partnership with law enforcement Deputies from the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station.

In addition, West Hollywood Security Ambassadors:

●      Maintain uniformed foot and bicycle patrols throughout all City neighborhoods;

●      Provide in-person responses 24/7 to non-violent calls for service;

●      Conduct safety escorts for residents, businesses, and visitors; and

●      Offer helpful guidance to community members and visitors about City information, directions, parking, and more.

In addition to supplemental safety services, West Hollywood Security Ambassadors get to know West Hollywood’s neighborhoods and assist in providing an extra level of hospitality to businesses, residents, and visitors and help to address and respond to quality-of-life concerns in the community. Security Ambassadors receive trainings on topics such as active shooters, cultural diversity and sensitivity, administration of Narcan to treat narcotic overdose, mental health first aid, sexual harassment, emergency/disaster preparedness, and more.

In the coming weeks, the City of West Hollywood will launch a new 24/7 hotline number for calling and texting the West Hollywood Security Ambassadors program. Updates and information will be provided at www.weho.org/security.

Community members who are interested in submitting an employment application for consideration by Allied Universal Security Services to serve the City of West Hollywood may do so by visiting the Allied Universal careers website area: https://securitycareers-aus.icims.com/jobs/1418724/security-ambassador/job?mode=view.

Additionally, the City Council of the City of West Hollywood approved the implementation of a Community Safety Officer (CSO) program in January 2025. This program will support the City’s existing law enforcement services with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD). At its regular meeting on Monday, August 18, 2025, the City Council authorized the City Manager or designee to negotiate and execute an Agreement for Services with Securitas Security Services USA for implementation of this Community Safety Officer (CSO) program. CSOs are uniformed unarmed non-sworn personnel that are trained by a local law enforcement agency and assist sworn personnel in the field. They are equipped with vehicles, radios, and mobile data computers that are integrated into agency systems and they are dispatched directly to various calls for service that are non-emergency related and are considered low priority. CSOs do not have the authority to arrest or cite people, engage in motor vehicle stops, or issue traffic citations, but they can complete numerous law enforcement reports on their own without assistance from sworn officers. This greatly reduces the wait time for crime scene evidence collection on non-violent crimes and allows Sheriff’s Deputies to focus their efforts on emergency incidents.

Securitas Security Services USA has experience in successfully providing a wide range of security and community safety services to government agencies globally. In California and in Los Angeles County specifically, Securitas has served under contract with the LASD for 42 years. CSOs will successfully complete a civilian background investigation with the LASD prior to being employed and will complete up to three months of training with the LASD in conjunction with the City’s Community Safety Department.

The City of West Hollywood contracts with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement and the Los Angeles County Fire Department for fire protection. The City’s Neighborhood & Business Safety Division oversees code enforcement. For additional information, please visit www.weho.org/publicsafety.

For anyone with public safety concerns, please reach out to the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station 24/7 at (310) 855-8850. In an emergency, call 911. To sign up to receive emergency notifications, please text your ZIP code to, 888777.

For more information, please call the City of West Hollywood’s Community Safety Department at (323) 848-6414. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing dial 711 or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY) or 1-800-735-2922 (voice) for California Relay Service (CRS) assistance.

For up-to-date information about City of West Hollywood news and events, follow @wehocity on social media, sign-up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and visit the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar. West Hollywood City Hall is open for walk-in services at public counters or by appointment, which can be scheduled at www.weho.org/appointments. City Hall services are accessible by phone at (323) 848-6400 and via website at www.weho.org. Receive text updates by texting “WeHo” to (323) 848-5000.

For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact Sheri A. Lunn, Public Information Officer, at (323) 848-6391 or slunn@weho.org.

Correction | When posted, this news release noted that the City Council approved an agreement with Securitas Security Services USA for Implementation of this Community Safety Officer (CSO) program. This was updated to reflect a correction: that the City Council, in fact, authorized the City Manager or designee to negotiate and execute an Agreement for Services.