San Diego police had their hands full with more than 1.8 million people visiting San Diego beaches throughout the week for the Independence Day celebrations. With the exception of a few incidents, police were able to control most instances of violent crime, Lieutenant Brian Ahearn with San Diego Police Department’s Western Division said.
Ahearn also said that grass roots community groups and the local media played an important role in raising public awareness of rules governing “beach culture,” which helped people behave themselves.
Although the number of felony arrests in the beach areas decreased from last year, the number of people detained for being drunk in public increased by about 17 percent, according to statistics compiled by the San Diego Police Department which cover the period from Friday, June 29, through Thursday, July 5.
The department took extra precautions through Sunday, June 8, to round out the 10-day period where police increased staffing in anticipation of the crowds, Ahearn said.
“One of our goals was to minimize and reduce violent crime through a strategic deployment of officers, and we were able to accomplish that goal,” Ahearn said.
Of the eight stations set up around the beaches and parks, Ahearn said police responded to the most calls from Fanuel Park, the Belmont Park area and the station at Reed Avenue.
Traffic officers also set up a DUI checkpoint in Pacific Beach on various days starting Friday, June 29, through Sunday, July 8, he said. Traffic division alone made 23 DUI arrests.
Mònica Muãoz of the police department’s media relations office said a strong officer presence and use of new technology contributed to the relatively safe and successful Independence Day events.
“When you consider that we anticipated [so many] people out there, with so few people taken to jail, that really is a successful event,” Muãoz said.
The high visibility of officers patrolling the beach areas on all-terrain vehicles, on horseback, in patrol cars and on foot led to the relatively calm five-day period, Muãoz said.
Police were also able to take advantage of real-time video taken by a patrol helicopter dedicated solely to the beaches. The helicopter video, directly linked to the police beach command center, allowed police to move through more crowded areas throughout the day, she said.
The video feed gave police a “bird’s-eye view” of instances as they unfolded in real time. Initiated this year, the new technology gave officers an edge in potentially dangerous situations, Ahearn said.
Police also adopted a zero tolerance policy.
“We had zero tolerance posture because we didn’t people to think they could do whatever they want and get away with it,” Ahearn said, “It also provided a sense of security to those 99.9 percent of law-abiding citizens who just wanted to have a good time,”
And it was those law-abiding citizens to which Ahearn gives credit for having such a safe holiday week.
Ahearn said the work of local grass-roots community organizations and local print and television media helped raise awareness about acceptable beach behavior in the park and beach areas. As organizations participated in programs that highlight the beach rules and local media educating the public about acceptable beach behavior, Ahearn said the community helped spread the message:
“This is a residential community, this beach area, and we don’t want to destroy it for those who live here.” he said.
Ahearn said with the exception of a serious injury collision and an incident involving a stabbing, the week went without serious incident.