Police cite businesses for breaking smoking law

Greg Risling

COSTA MESA -- A special enforcement detail cited five businesses

Thursday night for failing to abide by the state’s smoking ban.

The plainclothes officers visited 12 bars and restaurants and found

five with patrons smoking cigarettes or cigars.

“A large number of complaints came from businesses that have followed

the law but know of others that haven’t” Sgt. Don Holford said. “We went

to several that we received complaints about and some that we picked

randomly.”

The places that were cited and face varying fines include Outers on El

Camino Drive, the Huddle on Baker Street, Tin Lizzy on St. Clair Street,

the Helm on Newport Boulevard and Top of the Hill on Victoria Street.

The owners of the taverns cited Thursday were given a warning two

weeks ago when police caught smokers indoors.

“We took a soft approach at first, hoping they would cease,” Holford

said. “Now, we’ve reached a point of taking an aggressive stance against

violators.”

One patron said he wasn’t aware that his favorite bar, the Huddle,

wasn’t obeying state law. He knew about the law but said because the

Huddle has fewer than five employees, the bar wasn’t required to prohibit

smoking.

“I guess I didn’t know the law,” said Mike, who didn’t want his last

name used. “I came in right after the police were here, and there weren’t

any ashtrays out. I will continue coming here unless I can find another

place I can smoke inside.”

The Police Department was given authority by the City Council last

July to issue such citations. The Orange County Health Department, the

agency that receives complaints, had about 80 calls in a three-month

period last year. A survey taken by the agency said about 85 percent of

businesses in violation don’t receive a second citation.