Police chief brings the best with him...

Police chief brings

the best with him

As a recent graduate of the Newport Beach Citizen’s Police

Academy, I felt compelled to write a note regarding the May 21

article, “Chief eyes retirement.” I personally hope that Chief Bob

McDonell considers staying on for as long as possible. One of the

most compelling things I left that academy with was what the chief

expects from each and every one of his officers and staff. His

expectations are nothing short of the very best. We are extremely

fortunate to have a chief who is involved in the daily operations of

his force. Some may think being a police officer in Newport Beach is

an easy job. Unfortunately, we too have our problems, and our police

officers handle them with professionalism and fairness, which is a

direct result of having a police chief who expects nothing less from

them.

As one resident who was fortunate enough to get a little insight

into the workings of our police department, I have a much better

understanding and appreciation for what these men and women do for us

on a daily basis.

JULI HAYDEN

Newport Beach

Why are people still

pushing for El Toro?

The people of Orange County voted against an international airport

at El Toro, but every single week you print letters from Donald Nyre

or Shirley Congers still pushing for it. Have they not read the

opinions of the many pilots and airport traffic controllers who have

said how completely unsafe that would be for commercial jetliners?

Why do they continue to disregard the facts? Do they think they know

more than the experts in the field?

ANN MERRITT

Corona del Mar

Students should exercise judgment on grad night

I’ve been thinking about the Daily Pilot’s “Parents talk back” by

Wendy Leece on May 16 and her reminder of the zero-tolerance rules

governing the behavior of our high school students. She cited the

tragic accident following a prom several years ago to justify the

righteousness of her position, but perhaps a different conclusion

should be drawn.

We are on the eve of graduations, and the planners behind Corona

del Mar High School’s grad-night event have published a written

warning to students that all party-goers will be searched and tested

by a breathalyzer, and transgressions will be reported to the police,

not to parents. They have decided that youthful experimentation or

lapses in judgment should be cause for arrest, loss of diploma and

the possible loss of scholarships or college entry; for grads who are

18, they’re willing to give them a permanent police record. Or, as

one organizer said about any student objecting to the plan, to “let

them go somewhere else.”

As I recall, the purpose of grad night was to provide a safe haven

-- a big party alternative to the many small and unsupervised

get-togethers that would otherwise happen -- designed to last until 4

a.m. to keep kids off the streets and out of harm’s way. Of course,

drugs and alcohol are banned, and certainly some kids may try to

cross the line -- it’s always been that way: Parents set the rules,

some kids try to break them, and most get caught. When that occurs,

we apply discipline as parents.

Three months after grad night, many of our kids will move to

college, where they will be required to draw upon their personal

values and exercise their own judgment. They will need to know how to

make correct choices, even if they can “get away” with making the

wrong ones. They will be surrounded by other people making other

choices and will have time enough to suffer the real consequences of

poor decisions.

I ask that a different conclusion be drawn from Leece’s

recollection. Appreciate this time with your children.

Don’t try to manage their behavior by threatening them -- show

them how to think for themselves. Communicate with them. Inform them.

Give them this last time to be children, without the chance of arrest

or a tragic accident that occurs because a good kid making a bad

choice was turned away from the celebration of their own

accomplishment.

JEFF GINGOLD

Corona del Mar

Boaters want more

places to launch

I operate a fuel dock in Newport Harbor, and you really get a

great perspective as to what the harbor is missing, at least from the

boaters’ point of view and from those who spend a lot of time in and

around the harbor. The two biggest complaints, without a doubt, that

we hear on the dock are:

* There is a terrible shortage of boat slips in Newport Harbor.

* There is a serious shortage of places to launch small boats,

especially for a harbor this size.

I feel that exploring the possibilities of a small park with

boat-launching capabilities along with a marina would best fit the

Marinapark location. Boat-launching and marinas also generate revenue

for the city.

DAVID BEEK

Balboa Island

How about a

place to swim?

I think it would be ideal to have a low-profile park and swimming

beach at Marinapark.

GWEN LAZICKI

Newport Beach