The happy Fourth a credit to police

Another safe and successful Fourth of July has come and gone in

Huntington Beach. The city continues to shake off the bad reputation

it suffered in the mid-1990s when riots ruled the day and drinking

was the favored activity. Thanks to an increased police presence and

meticulous planning on the part of city leaders and members of the

Fourth of July committee, Independence Day here in Surf City is back

to being the pinnacle of summer fun, rather than the day the jails

overflow.

It was in 1993 that things began to go awry. By 1994 the festive crowds turned riotous and city-sponsored fireworks took a back seat

to those being thrown around in the crowd of 300,000 revelers.

Police attempts to control crowds -- which went so far as to set a

couches ablaze -- resulted in what many called brute force and led to

several claims of brutality, including one by a 17-year-old Edison

High student who had her jaw broken and another by a local man who

claimed police fractured his leg. Both claimed the injuries came from

police batons.

Things got worse before they got better with the number arrests

climbing from 40 in 1993 to a record 549 in 1996.

It has been a bumpy road with many loud complaints about overt

police presence and pressure. But the result has been well worth the

growing pains. Little by little, the Fourth of July here, complete

with the biggest parade west of the Mississippi, has calmed and

mellowed. It has become an event residents can feel comfortable

bringing their families to.

With a crowd of at least 90,000 this year, it was a patriotic

family affair, with no burning couches, arrests well below the 500

mark and a sense of nationalism not seen in years.

It hasn’t come easily, but order has once again prevailed. It

seems the holiday has at last return to the celebration it is meant

to be.

So as we reflect on the safe and sane Fourth we enjoyed, let’s

offer some well-deserved thanks to the police and city leaders who

had the courage and stamina to withstand some public abuse to make

the city safe for everyone.