Briefly In Public Safety
LAPD officer accused in theft from hotel
A Los Angeles police officer who moonlighted as a security guard at the Surf and Sand Resort in Laguna Beach has been charged with grand theft and burglary from the hotel.
Jeffry Paul Quinton, 48, of Anaheim Hills faces three years and eight months in prison for one felony count each of grand theft and commercial burglary, according to a news release from the Orange County district attorney’s office. He pleaded not guilty Wednesday at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.
On Oct. 17, hotel staff logged $2,000 into its online lost and found system. Quinton is accused of accessing the system and changing the log to say it was a gold watch that was found. He then changed the room number where the money was found, falsely logged that the watch had been returned to its owner and stole $960 from the hotel safe, prosecutors allege.
On Dec. 26, he is accused of blocking the view of a surveillance camera and stealing $680 from a safe deposit box in the security office, according to the release.
On Jan. 24, prosecutors allege that Quinton stole $290 in bedding from a hotel storage room.
Quinton is a 21-year LAPD veteran assigned to the Central Division, according to the Los Angeles Times. The LAPD has placed him on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigations.
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Holiday weekend has police on high alert
The Laguna Beach Police Department announced it will be increasing patrols over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
Police saturate the city with extra officers during certain holiday weekends to help identify and remove DUI offenders from the roads, according to a statement from Police Chief Paul Workman.
The Police Department hopes that publicizing the increased enforcement will deter holiday revelers from drinking and driving.
In order to stay safe this weekend, police recommend: planning a safe way to get home before heading out for the night; designating a sober driver; taking a taxi; calling 911 if you see a drunk driver; and taking the keys away from a friend who might be impaired.
Funding for the DUI saturation patrols is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.
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Man gets six years for child molestation
A Laguna Beach man was sentenced to six years in state prison for the molestation of a boy in a public restroom.
Nicholas James Needham, 28, is currently in custody after being sentenced to nine years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. He will serve both sentences concurrently, according to a news release from the Orange County district attorney’s office.
On June 15, 2010, Needham approached a 5-year-old boy at a urinal inside a bathroom at the Outlets at Orange, formerly known as the Block at Orange. He reached over and touched the boy’s penis before fleeing the scene.
The boy told his mother, who reported the incident to the Orange Police Department.
Later in the investigation, while searching Needham’s home, officers found thousands of pornographic pictures and several videos with underage boys.
He was sentenced in the child porn case in February.
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Volunteers sought for CERT training
Registration has begun for the inaugural Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training course from the Laguna Beach Police Department.
CERT is a group of trained volunteers who are ready and able to help the community in case disaster strikes. Members must attend 25 hours of classroom work and participate in hands-on training.
Training begins March 28, and classes will meet from 6 to 9 p.m. for six consecutive Wednesdays, with one Saturday morning exercise drill.
Training topics include fire safety, disaster preparedness, traffic control and scene management and disaster medical operations.
Attendance is mandatory at all classes, and volunteers must be at least 18 years old, with no felony convictions.
Applications can be found at https://www.lagunabeachcity.net and must be filled out and emailed by March 21 to CERT Coordinator Jordan Villwock at jvillwock@lagunabeachcity.net.
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Small brush fire in Bluebird Canyon
A brush fire was ignited near a residence in the 1300 block of Morningside Drive on March 9.
Firefighters received their first call at 4:09 p.m. regarding a fire next to a home.
According to Deputy Chief Jeff LaTendresse, the homeowner started the fire accidentally. He had been doing metalwork on his deck, and sparks flew into the brush below.
There was minor damage to the home and vegetation was burned. LaTendresse said the damages were reported to be around $10,000.
—Kelly Parker and Joanna Clay