FROM THE NEWSROOM:McDonell brought respect

As we get ready to celebrate our nation’s independence today for the 231st time, I marvel at how much things have changed around here in Newport-Mesa in just a decade and a half.

Fireworks sales are now strictly limited to three days in Costa Mesa, and West Newport Beach is no longer considered a near-riotous war zone on the Fourth of July.

For the latter, there are many to thank, including residents, police and city workers who go to great pains to make sure Newport Beach is a safe place for today’s festivities.

One guy who deserves a lot of credit for making all that happen just said his goodbyes to the city last week. His name is Bob McDonell.

McDonell finished up his tenure as Newport Beach police chief last week and capped it off with a big party in his honor Friday at the Balboa Bay Club, leaving the department in the capable hands of new Chief John Klein.

I’ve known McDonell since his very first day on the job. In fact, I covered that event as a reporter some 15 years ago.

I remember the day well and I also remember when somebody, fittingly with today’s theme, set off a firecracker in his office to startle the new chief.

I figured at the time that was some sort of cop-style, welcome-aboard gesture, despite fireworks being illegal in Newport Beach since the 1950s.

Truly, McDonell was a breath of fresh air to a department that had just gone through a fairly public crisis with the former chief. In respect to McDonell, who prefers to not talk about that past, that’s all I’m going to say about that.

Instead, let’s talk about the Fourth of July.

When McDonell came aboard, the city was also reeling from some past Independence Day eruptions that resulted in multiple arrests and some injuries. There was even a gang-related stabbing, if I recall correctly.

McDonell, with the input of West Newport residents and then-Councilwoman Jan Debay, responded by erecting barricades on Seashore Drive and upping the police presence on the West end of town. Curfews and other regulations were put in place to keep some of the many rental tenants in line.

McDonell even got a stroke of luck in later years when bad-boy NBA star Dennis Rodman decided to sell his beachfront West Newport house.

The result of all of that is Newport Beach has had many enjoyable July 4 celebrations over the years. And this year, hopefully, will be no different.

In addition to that, McDonell should be remembered for bringing respect and respectability to a department that had a large dark cloud hanging over it from the aforementioned chief scandal.

That’s not to say McDonell didn’t have his issues or problems. I’m sure he did. But he also created a department that was open and honest with the media and, more importantly, the public.

That’s something his predecessor certainly couldn’t claim.

Good luck, chief. Don’t have too much fun in retirement while the rest of us are working hard.

And, oh yeah, a happy Fourth of July to you and all of our faithful readers.