Increased police patrols proposed

Newport Beach Police Chief Bob McDonell is proposing more police patrols, a beach parking lot security gate and movable cameras to answer concerns about late-night crime in Corona del Mar and Peninsula Point.

Residents who packed the Newport Beach City Council chambers at a January study session told the council they’ve seen a wide range of crimes — including people drinking and making noise, gang graffiti and guns — around Ocean Boulevard and Peninsula Point after the beach closes.

Council members were trying to gauge interest in a resident-only parking permit program, but the only consensus they heard was that residents want more police enforcement.

The council will consider McDonell’s proposal Tuesday. It includes a security gate to replace the wooden entry arm at the city parking lot at Corona del Mar State Beach; the assignment of two officers to patrol the neighborhood of Ocean Boulevard on Friday through Sunday from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.; and if the council wishes, further study of security cameras that would be placed in public areas such as Little Corona, Pirates Cove and the Wedge.

McDonell concluded that Peninsula Point has sufficient officers to boost patrols without using overtime hours, as the Ocean Boulevard patrols would.

The proposals, not including cameras, would cost about $42,000 to $64,000.

“I support all of those. I think it’s a step in the right direction,” Councilman Keith Curry said. “If we need to do more, we’ll do more.”

McDonell’s report also pointed out a discrepancy between the level of crime residents are claiming and police statistics, with police information showing “a low crime rate” in Peninsula Point and around Ocean Boulevard.

Residents told the council they don’t always call police because they fear retaliation, and sometimes a police response takes a long time or never comes.

“They’re afraid of retaliation because they’ve had their cars vandalized and stuff written on them,” Ocean Boulevard resident Jill Schriber said Thursday. “We’ve been told by the police themselves when they come out that there’s a shortage. Here they are the highest paid in Orange County, and there aren’t enough of them.”

The report stressed that neighbors must work with the police to address crime problems, and Schriber said she’s on board with that.

“We’re making an effort to get the word out that if you see anything suspicious, call the police,” she said.

Overall, Schriber said, she’s glad to see the city acknowledge the problem, but she thinks more needs to be done.

“I think it will help but I still think we need the preferential parking because there’s no way one police officer can be everywhere at one time,” she said.

City officials are working on a way to poll residents about a permit parking program.