Community Corner

Police Announce Fourth of July Strategy

Police remind revelers the Fourth of July in Newport Beach is expected to be "family-friendly."

Newport Beach has the reputation for being a hot spot on the Fourth of July, but police want to make sure residents and visitors know the holiday is expected to be "family-friendly."

At Tuesday night's City Council Study Session, Newport Beach Police Deputy Chief David McGill gave a brief presentation on the department's operation plan for maintaining a family-friendly Fourth of July. While the city is still known for being a party place for young people, McGill said the Fourth of July has been less wild over the past few years.

“We are still one of the hotspots but I think people are getting the message,” McGill said. "The goal is to change the culture and make the Fourth of July about families having fun and being safe."

McGill said last year on July 4 there were 119 arrests, 522 personal citations, 545 parking citations and four citations for loud and unruly gatherings.

“I interpret that as a good thing,” McGill said, in reference to the four citations for loud and unruly gatherings which was made possible by an ordinance passed by the City Council in 2011. 

This year, the Fourth of July lands on a Thursday and what's new is there will be no street closures during the holiday. Newport Beach police will also have officers patrolling beaches on ATVs, 20 mounted police officers, 12 bike officers from the Irvine Police Department, 20 CHP motors and 23 Orange County Sheriff's Department mobile bookings, McGill said.

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"Before we had a lot of foot beats and sedentary locations, but this year we will deploy more motor officers, bikes and horses so we have a more fluid and flexible response platform," McGill explained.

In the meantime, police officers will be working on identifying the party houses and past trouble spots in Newport Beach on the Fourth of July to educate and inform the homeowners about the city's expectations, even for the renters who may book a house specifically for the holiday.

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"Whether they been here before or not, we want to make sure they understand how they are supposed to act during our family-friendly Fourth of July in Newport Beach," McGill said.

Camera systems will also be installed on houses, trees and light polls to help the department monitor and have a close eye on revelers.

"They are hidden but we tell people we have cameras out there," McGill said. "We used them strictly for my operational assessments of the area and they really are a valuable tool."

Police will also continue to enforce alcohol related offenses, crowd and traffic management, and keep an eye open for dangerous fireworks.

During the public comments section of the meeting, long-time resident George Schroeder, said he is pleased with the police department's strategy.

"There has been a culture change with the fines and enforcements, and we need to keep that in place," Schroeder said. "In the 1980s before there were any barricades Seashore Avenue was a sea of humanity with young people, there was no control. Now we are going in the right direction."

Don't Forget!

  • Fines are tripled on July 4 for municipal code violations in the Safety Enhancement Zone. This area is bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the south, 32nd Street and Newport Blvd. on the east, Pacific Coast Highway on the north and 54th Street on the west.
  • "Unruly" Parties: In 2011 the City Council passed an ordinance  that established steep fines for people and property owners involved in out-of-hand parties. Under the ordinance, individual partygoers, property owners, party hosts and tenants all face fines, which can reach $3,000. The Police Department recommends those planning to have a party keep their guest list small, control those who attend and keep the booze on private property.
 Fourth of July Activities: 
  • The 41st annual Independence Day Parade and Celebration at Mariners Park - Parade starts at 10:30 a.m., followed by a carnival with games, rides and food until 2 p.m.
  • The 3rd annual Newport Peninsula Bike Parade and Community Festival - Parade begins at 9 a.m. at 38th Street Park with games and a dunk tank until 11:30 a.m.
What has your experience on the Fourth of July in Newport Beach been like? Tell us in the comments.

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