Protest Saves Oceanside’s Beach Patrol

Oceanside’s police beach patrol, credited with rescuing the city’s sands from gangs, drunks and hookers, has been spared from being disbanded after an outpouring of public support.

The City Council on Thursday added money to the city’s new austerity budget to save the patrol, although the shorts-clad team will be reduced from six to three officers.

“It’s not quite what we wanted, but it’s better than deleting the program entirely,” said Police Chief Bruce Dunne, adding, “We can make it work.”

Oceanside, expecting 3 million beach visitors during fiscal 1991-92, would have become the only coastal area in North County without police protection under the initial plan to abolish the patrol.

Dunne had reluctantly proposed putting the beach team back into regular uniforms and black-and-white patrol cars because budget problems and a police manpower shortage didn’t leave enough officers to patrol the neighborhoods.

However, a community protest convinced the council to scrape up money for the program, although the new $54-million operating budget is $9.5 million less than last year’s spending plan and calls for eliminating some city jobs.

A petition with more than 300 signatures demanding that the beach patrol be preserved was given to the council. Later, in a marathon meeting that lasted from Wednesday night until early Thursday morning, the council voted, 5 to 0, to fund the team.

The beach patrol is “one of those high-profile things that has a lot of popularity,” Mayor Larry Bagley said.

Before the patrol was created three years ago, police, community leaders and coastal residents say, the beach was plagued after dark with prostitutes, drinkers and gang members.

But the patrol, five officers supervised by Sgt. Tom Bussey, changed that, making the city’s 4 miles of beach safe for revenue-producing tourists.

“The beach is certainly one of our prime assets,” Bagley said. “We fought for a lot of years to take it back from the people who shouldn’t have had it, and we’re not going to let it go.”

Still, the council’s plan to raise $337,000 for a three-man patrol hasn’t left the business community totally satisfied. The money will come from business license fees and other sources.

Jim Schroder, president of the Chamber of Commerce, said, “I’m glad (about keeping the patrol) but I don’t like how they’re going about it.

“You don’t raise business fees when you’re trying to attract business into town,” he said.

Although the patrol will be what Dunne called a “reduced version,” he is confident three officers can handle the beach, even during the busy summer months.

Dunne said unarmed civilian security officers--all local teachers on vacation--will assist the beach team by handling minor enforcement problems such as loud music, drinking and parking violations.