Bird Rock Community Council members and storeowners reported an uneventful Halloween Friday, attributing the success to an ongoing partnership with police and neighbors. “Everything went fine. My phone didn’t ring at all,” said Victor Bastidas, store manager of Bird Rock Starbucks. But Bastidas wouldn’t have been so confident a few years ago. Four years ago, the upscale-yet-crunchy bohemian Bird Rock neighborhood — a popular trick-or-treat destination — was rocked to its core on Halloween when residents reported out-of-control behavior including fighting, egg throwing and illicit underage sex, said Bird Rock Community Council board member Michelle Fulks. Since that time, the police and the BRCC gathered residents, forming a Halloween safety council in an effort to re-create Bird Rock’s family friendly holiday atmosphere, said Fulks, a Neighborhood Watch member. At least 700 costumed candy consumers traveled the blocks around Bird Rock this year, Fulks said. Although residents encouraged the children and displayed lights and decorations, the council kept trick-or-treating hours between 5 and 8 p.m. The group’s efforts worked, Fulks said. Police stepped up their presence in the area the past three years, enforcing rules such as underage drinking and curfew laws. “The police presence made a huge difference. This is the third year they’ve had the command post and the extra presence,” Fulks said. “I was highly impressed with the fact that Captain Zimmerman was out for more than three hours handing out candy.” In addition to the police command post, off-duty officers patrolled the area, Fulks said. “It was a very busy evening, but quiet. I do know that police gave at least one misdemeanor ticket to a driver for reckless driving,” Fulks said. “The off-duty officers did a lot of good. They busted four or five kids trying to break into the haunted house.” The teens breaking into the haunted house were detained for a while, then released, Fulks said. Another factor that contributed to children’s safety inside Bird Rock was the continued closure of a roundabout at La Jolla Hermosa and Forward Avenue, Fulks said. “Keely Sweeny [with San Diego City Council President Scott Peters office] kept it closed during the trick-or-treating hours,” Fulks said, adding that Sweeny worked with the Halloween safety committee to keep that road closed. “It was much safer.” According to Fulks, BRCC along with residents and police have reached their goal, to keep the masses safe as they choose Bird Rock as their destination for Halloween holiday trick-or-treating.
