Local law enforcement agencies prepare

Deepa Bharath

NEWPORT-MESA -- Terrorist attacks that flattened the World Trade

Center’s landmark twin towers in New York City on Tuesday morning spurred

local officials into a heightened sense of alertness.

Public safety and law enforcement agencies in Costa Mesa and Newport

Beach mobilized their emergency operation centers but did not activate

them, officials said.

While there were no predominant incidents in the area, Costa Mesa

police responded to two bomb threats, one at the Holiday Inn on Bristol

Street and the other at Robinsons-May in South Coast Plaza.

Police received a call about a bomb at the hotel about 10 a.m.

Tuesday, said Costa Mesa Police Lt. Dale Birney.

“All residents were evacuated,” he said.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad declined to come

over to check the building but asked building security to look for

explosive devices, Birney said.

“Nothing was found, and everybody was back inside about 11:15 a.m.,”

he said.

The second bomb threat was called in about 2:20 p.m. at Robinsons-May.

It also proved to be a hoax, Birney said. This time, the building was not

evacuated and the scene was cleared in less than half an hour, he said.

Costa Mesa police also honored a request from John Wayne Airport

officials to close Airway Avenue and Paularino Avenue to through traffic

Tuesday afternoon.

Officials also said 16 additional sheriff’s deputies were added at the

airport, which is owned by the county.

Fire officials in both cities said they were in a state of readiness

after the attacks.

“We’re certainly aware that the situation can escalate at any time,”

said Newport Beach Fire Capt. John Blauer.

Costa Mesa fire officials said they too were in a state of

preparedness, but had not heard of nor received any likely threats.

Newport Beach police were “watching what’s going on,” said Sgt. Steve

Shulman.

“We’ve had no specific incidents that we can link directly to” the

terrorist attacks, he said.

Orange County Sheriff’s Department harbor patrol officials based in

Newport Beach closely monitored traffic in and out of the harbor, Sgt.

Gary Smith said.

“The Navy has closed down Huntington Harbour, but Newport and Dana

Point are still open,” he said. “The situation can change depending on

what orders we get.”

It was business as usual at UC Irvine, where classes do not begin

until next week, spokeswoman Lori Brandt said.

“Our [campus] police is working with local law enforcement to go on

heightened security if necessary,” she said.

The Orange County Superior Court at the Harbor Justice Center was also

conducting regular business, officials said.