BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS No one...

BRIEFLY IN

THE NEWS

No one injured in Newport car fire

No one was injured in a car fire that broke out on the Corona del

Mar freeway Tuesday morning, California Highway Patrol officials

said.

The white Honda Civic caught fire and was engulfed just south of

Campus Drive at about 11:23 a.m., Officer Mark Reeves said. Two right

lanes were closed and a SigAlert was issued for about half an hour,

he said. Costa Mesa firefighters responded, Reeves said.

The car was totaled, but people in the car were able to get out,

he said.

Report: Crime levels drop in Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa saw crimes in most categories plummet during the first

half of the year, according to an FBI report released Monday.

The Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report covering the

period between January and June 2002 only includes cities with a

population of more than 100,000.

Costa Mesa saw several crimes -- particularly robberies, assaults,

burglaries and auto thefts -- increase in 2000 and 2001. But all of

those categories showed a significant decline in the first six months

of 2002 compared to the same period last year, the report said.

The total number of crimes was up 0.9%, however. Violent crimes

were down 21.5%. Robbery was down 7.8%, aggravated assaults down by

26%, burglaries down 7.3% and auto thefts down 11.5%. The only

category reflecting an increase was thefts -- up 8.1%.

Officials attributed the decrease to proactive and stringent

enforcement. Over the last year, the department has put together an

undercover operation to fight street crime, particularly robberies.

Several arrests were made as a result of that operation, officials

said.

The department also belongs to a countywide task force that

combats auto thefts.

Police promote 3 officers to sergeant

The Newport Beach Police Department on Monday promoted three

officers to the rank of sergeant. They were Mike James, Rob Morton

and Dave Byington.

James, 40, began his career with the department in 1990 after an

honorable discharge from the U.S. Marine Corps. He has worked as a

patrol, bicycle and motorcycle officer and was recognized by the

Orange County Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving for DUI

enforcement. James was also the department’s Officer of the Year in

1999.

Morton, 40, has been with the department for 17 years. He came to

Newport Beach after working for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s

Department for two years. Morton has worked as a patrol officer,

accident investigator, fraud detective and a field training officer.

Byington started in 1981 after a two-year stint at the Palos

Verdes Estate Police Department. He has worked as a patrol officer,

beat coordinator, field training officer, narcotics detective, vice

investigator and SWAT team member. Byington was selected Officer of

the Year in 1998. He has received six awards of merit from the

department.