Police aiming to slow down Newport Coast

June Casagrande

NEWPORT COAST -- This time, it’s the police officers trying to keep

the speeders out of a trap.

Since Newport Coast became part of the city Jan. 1, police have been

combating what is considered by many to be a serious speeding problem on

Newport Coast Drive. But while some residents demand the city enforce the

law on this winding stretch of road, others fear the enforcement is just

the city’s way of bilking its wealthy new residents.

“There’s some concern out there that this is to meet quotas or

something,” Newport Beach Police Sgt. Steve Shulman said. “That’s not

what’s going on.”

Shulman said most drivers being stopped for speeding on the road are

getting off with warnings -- a way of letting them know there’s a new

sheriff in town and that the speeding must stop. The drivers getting more

than just a slap on the wrist are cases few would object to.

“There was a motorcyclist stopped doing 123 mph there at 3:15 in the

afternoon on Jan. 6,” Shulman said, noting that the speed limit there is

60 mph. “We’re not enforcing everybody we stop, but like the

motorcyclist, we are enforcing those that are clearly unsafe.”

The city began providing police service to the area on Jan. 1, when

the roughly 7,000-resident area officially became part of Newport Beach.

Before then, it was the county sheriff’s jurisdiction.

Now, while battling a speeding problem is common on the wide-open

stretch of road, police are also battling the perception that they have

ulterior motives for being there.

Jim McGee, a member of the Newport Coast Advisory Committee and head

of the Committee of 2000 residents association, met with Police Chief Bob

McDonell to discuss ways to stop drivers from speeding there.

“The majority of Newport Coast residents support the idea of an

increased police presence and think that by enforcing the speed laws

fairly that it will make our neighborhood more safe,” McGee said.

Shulman also noted that most drivers who have been stopped there live

outside Newport Beach, in places such as Irvine and other surrounding

cities.

“We’ve stopped a number of people going over 100 mph, and many going

between 80 and 100,” Shulman said. “It’s important for people to know

it’s not our intent to do this from a revenue standpoint.”

At its next meeting, the City Council will take the issue a step

further by considering a plan to establish speed limits on streets in the

newly annexed area.

* June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 june.casagrande@latimes.comf7 .