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 .
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