ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : A Flower Grows in Garden Grove

The practice of community policing is becoming more widespread in Orange County, as city after city learns that getting the cops out among the residents pays dividends. It’s a good idea that deserves to be used even more.

The latest city to hop on the bandwagon is Garden Grove. Seven months ago, police officials assigned two officers to Palma Vista Avenue and environs to reduce the street fights and car thefts plaguing the neighborhood. Police say crimes in the area have decreased 50% since the duo began patrolling the beat aggressively, sometimes on bicycles. This month, the Garden Grove Police Department adopted the program throughout the city. There are more officers on patrol, and their beats are smaller.

In an important show of support, owners of several apartment buildings on Palma Vista this week signed a symbolic pledge to do their part with the police officers. That includes keeping lights working, removing trash around buildings and discouraging public drinking. The police deserve and need support from the community.

That includes financial support, because community policing can be expensive. Garden Grove Chief Stanley L. Knee said the program cannot be done with the same intensity everywhere, so the neighborhoods needing the most help will get it first. And police have to maintain a strong presence; pulling out might allow an area to go back downhill quickly.

For instance, the Anaheim area known as Jeffrey-Lynne improved dramatically in the last few years after new policing and community service programs took effect there. One of the most effective was a federally funded program that had an officer walking a beat and helping apartment owners and tenants to cut into the influence of gangs. But the money ran out, the policeman left and police and residents report that drug and gang activity has increased.

That’s unfortunate, because community policing benefits everyone. The frequent presence of police can deter potential criminals. It can also show residents where their tax dollars are going and build support for men and women putting their lives on the line. Residents who see police often and respect them are more likely to get involved, reporting suspicious activities and helping out with tips or descriptions of suspects when crimes occur.

Huntington Beach Police Chief Ronald E. Lowenberg rightly noted that much of community policing is really “a throwback to the good old days” of cops walking a beat in a neighborhood.

Lowenberg is one of the chiefs who often emphasize the need for community support. In fact, he went out of his way to praise the community for helping his city gain a ranking in the top 12 in this year’s FBI statistics of big cities with the lowest crime rates. Santa Ana has long had police substations that enable police and residents to know each other, and police say they do help cut the crime rate. Garden Grove deserves success with its program as well.