Fourth fines come at triple the cost

Deepa Bharath

Partyers in this beach community who get cited on the Fourth of July

will have to pay triple the usual fine, Newport Beach Police said

Friday.

The Police Department’s move to tighten enforcement and deploy 30%

more officers than last year feeds off encouragement provided by the

City Council, which passed legislations to curb rowdiness in West

Newport, including one designating the area bordered by Coast

Highway, Newport Boulevard, 32nd Street, the ocean and 54th Street as

a “safety enhancement zone.”

Every year, police issue hundreds of citations on Independence

Day, Newport Beach Police Sgt. Steve Shulman said.

“Last year alone, we arrested 160 people for a variety of charges

to keep peace in the neighborhood,” he said. “About 88% of those

arrested last year listed their address as living outside Newport

Beach.”

And last year was better than previous years, Shulman said. Police

officers have been working with West Newport residents who complain

year after year about public drunkenness and the large crowds that

endanger their small community.

This year, citations issued in the area could result in fines of

$1,000, Shulman said.

“We just want everyone to know that we want them to have fun and

enjoy their day,” he said. “But we also want them to obey the law and

be considerate of people who live here and others who are also here

to have a good time.”

The most significant problems are caused by people getting drunk,

partyers getting into fights and large parties that get out of

control, Shulman said. He said the areas that is most active on the

Fourth of July are the streets between Coast Highway and 32nd Street,

Seashore Drive and the streets between West Balboa Boulevard and

Seashore.

Some West Newport residents said they are happy that the police

department and the City Council have responded to their problems.

Gene Dorney said he hopes these steps would help avert

“catastrophic things from happening.”

“All of these people are packed into a small area, fueled by

alcohol and armed with firecrackers,” he said. “That has the

potential to cause damage to people and property. It’s not an

imaginary danger. It’s real and it exists.”

Neighbor Elliot Leonard said “the City Council made some good

moves.”

“The police are excellent, but they just get overwhelmed by sheer

numbers,” he said. “But tough enforcement does work.”

Others have been less enthusiastic about the promised increased

police presence. A group calling itself FreeNewport has been

campaigning against what they say is an unnecessary overreaction to

the Fourth of July revelry.

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.