Council considers having a police presence

Mathis Winkler

A dismissed employee enters a city meeting and opens fire, wounding

six people, including the mayor and two City Council members.

Although Newport Beach has been spared a blood bath similar to the one

that occurred in Riverside in October 1997, Councilman John Heffernan has

asked city officials to look into having a police officer attend City

Council meetings.

Other cities, such as Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach and Irvine, already

have uniformed officers present at their meetings.

“I just think that if it wasn’t a budget issue, then why not do it?”

Heffernan said last week.

Some of his colleagues agreed.

“Given that it’s our policy, we should be doing it,” said Mayor Gary

Adams, adding that he could remember at least one incident when police

protection eased his mind.

“One individual was acting a little peculiar,” he said. “I felt a lot

better when the [police] chief walked in the room.”

City Manager Homer Bludau said he has asked Police Chief Bob McDonnell

to determine the possibility of having a police officer or member of the

Police Department’s management team at council meetings.

Bludau said the public atmosphere of council meetings can pose certain

dangers.

“Our council chamber is open and available,” he said. “We welcome

everyone. Sometimes people come because they have a chip on their

shoulder. Sometimes it can go beyond that.”

A few months ago, Bludau said, a resident refused to leave the podium

after his speaking time had expired and then-Mayor John Noyes asked him

three times to return to his seat.

“There have been times when I have walked staff members to the car

when there was someone there [who] seemed very angry,” Bludau said. “An

ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

A police officer’s presence would not limit residents’ rights to

address the council, Bludau said.

“It would be for the protection of everyone’s safety,” he said. “It

wouldn’t in any way be meant to inhibit testimony or reasonable

participation.”

Heffernan said in addition to safety concerns, a police officer or

sergeant-at-arms would lend more “official aura” to council meetings.

“We have a flag, we have a Pledge of Allegiance,” he said. “I’m just a

country boy. You go to a courthouse, they have a bailiff; you go into

different places like a mall, they have security. Why not have one of the

policemen [at council meetings]?”

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QUESTION

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