A Public Safety Commission is created and established. Said Public Safety Commission may be known and referred to as the "West Hollywood Public Safety Commission" or the "Public Safety Commission."
(Prior code § 2982; Ord. 89-240 § 1, 1989)
The Public Safety Commission shall consist of seven members who shall be residents of the city. Members shall not be officers or employees of the city.
(Prior code § 2983; Ord. 89-240 § 1, 1989; Ord. 94-411 § 1, 1994)
Each member of the City Council shall appoint one member of the Public Safety Commission. The Council as a whole will appoint the remaining two members. Appointments shall be made at a regular Council meeting.
(Prior code § 2984; Ord. 89-240 § 1, 1989; Ord. 92-330 § 1, 1992; Ord. 94-411 § 1, 1994)
a. 
Each member of the Public Safety Commission appointed directly by individual councilmembers shall serve a two-year term commencing on March 1st following a general municipal election. Upon expiration of the term of office, each such Commission member shall continue to serve until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. Each such member of the Commission serves at the pleasure of the appointing councilmember and may be removed by that councilmember at any time. In the event the office of a councilmember becomes vacant during the term thereof, and until the office is filled, the Commission member appointed by such councilmember may be removed by a majority vote of the City Council.
b. 
The two Commission members appointed by the Council as a whole shall serve two-year terms commencing on March 1st following a general municipal election. Upon expiration of the term of office, each such Commission member shall continue to serve until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. Such members may be removed by a majority vote of the City Council; provided, however, that no member of the Commission may be removed prior to March 1st following any municipal election.
c. 
Commission members are subject to term limits as set forth in Section 2.30.040 of this code.
(Prior code § 2985; Ord. 89-240 § 1, 1989; Ord. 94-411 § 1, 1994; Ord. 00-589U § 5, 2000; Ord. 00-590 § 5, 2000; Ord. 03-663 § 25, 2003; Ord. 19-1067 § 7, 2019; Ord. 23-09 § 20, 2023)
For the five individually appointed positions, vacancies on the Public Safety Commission shall be filled by appointment of the individual councilmember or his or her successor who made the appointment which is vacated.
(Prior code § 2986; Ord. 89-240 § 1, 1989; Ord. 92-330 § 1, 1992; Ord. 94-411 § 1, 1994)
If a member of the Public Safety Commission is absent for more than three regular meetings in any twelve-month period, the office of such member shall be vacated. In such event, the City Clerk shall notify the City Council of the vacancy and shall advertise for a replacement. A successor may be appointed for the remainder of the term as provided in Section 2.60.050. Notwithstanding the foregoing, up to three additional absences in a twelve-month period will be permitted for the purpose of bonding with a new baby, adopted child, or foster child and will not be counted against the allowable number of excused absences.
(Prior code § 2987; Ord. 89-240 § 1, 1989; Ord. 03-663 § 26, 2003; Ord. 23-09 § 21, 2023)
Regular meetings of the Public Safety Commission shall be as provided in the Commission by-laws, provided that the Commission shall meet no more than once monthly.
(Prior code § 2988; Ord. 89-240 § 1, 1989; Ord. 03-663 § 27, 2003)
The Public Safety Commission shall evaluate and make recommendations related to public safety and neighborhood livability, analyze the level of emergency services preparedness and emergency management, and assist city staff and the City Council in promoting and maintaining communications with citizens relative to public safety.
The Public Safety Commission shall have the power and be required to:
a. 
Analyze the level of law enforcement needs and make policy recommendations to the City Council, which can include reimagining public safety through alternate community-based systems and mechanisms that are needed to achieve a safe community for all West Hollywood community members;
b. 
Evaluate and recommend mechanisms to involve the Fire Department in community services;
c. 
Analyze the level of emergency services preparedness and emergency management, make policy recommendations, and assist city staff and the City Council in strengthening community response to emergencies;
d. 
Analyze and make policy recommendations to the City Council on ways to promote, in partnership with law enforcement and first responders, the best practices in community-oriented policing for the fair treatment, safety, and well-being for all;
e. 
Serve, in conjunction with city staff as the city's main mechanism to establish and maintain communications with citizens relative to public safety, including processing, hearing, and monitoring trends in complaints received by the city regarding law enforcement;
f. 
Assist the City Council in monitoring and evaluating all contracts with public safety agencies, develop recommendations for improving citizen input on public safety issues, evaluate any specialized training needs, and propose service level recommendations for City Council consideration, including making recommendations for changes;
g. 
Evaluate and make recommendations regarding neighborhood livability.
(Prior code § 2989; Ord. 89-240 § 1, 1989; Ord. 03-663 § 28, 2003; Ord. 21-1148 § 1, 2021; Ord. 23-09 § 22, 2023)
It shall not be the role of the Public Safety Commission to conduct investigations into individual complaints related to the services being provided by the city or any of its contractors including the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Nor shall it be the role of the Commission to direct the process or the procedure by which service level recommendations are carried out.
(Prior code § 2990; Ord. 89-240 § 1, 1989)
Accurate and permanent records of the acts of the Commission shall be kept, and such records shall have the same status as records of other administrative departments of the city.
(Prior code § 2991; Ord. 89-240 § 1, 1989)
The Public Safety Commission shall organize and operate in accordance with uniform by-laws for city commissions adopted by the City Council.
(Prior code § 2992; Ord. 89-240 § 1, 1989; Ord. 02-627 § 7, 2002)
Members of the Public Safety Commission may receive compensation for their services as set by resolution of the City Council. The secretary of the Public Safety Commission shall submit to the Finance Officer at the end of each calendar month, a statement showing the number of meetings of the Public Safety Commission attended by each member during each month. No additional compensation shall be paid for expenses incurred by the members of the Commission in the performance of their duties, except that the City Council may from time to time authorize in advance, expenditures for attendance at seminars, institutes, or other meetings which the City Council finds to be beneficial to the Commissioners in the performance of their duties, and in the best interests of the city. Claims for such expenses shall be filed with the Finance Officer and shall be subject to audit and approval by the City Council.
(Prior code § 2993; Ord. 89-240 § 1, 1989)