Stanton Creates Panel to Study Crime : Public safety: The City Council expects a battle plan from the advisory committee after a series of hearings.

After meeting with concerned residents, the City Council this week has moved to create a Community Safety Advisory Committee to study crime in the city.

“I live in an area where drugs are sold every day in broad daylight,” said apartment manager Connie Lobello at the public meeting. She lives in the 8000 block of Plaza Way, near the 99 Cent Only Store on Beach Boulevard.

Council members said they hope that after residents air their concerns at more meetings, the new committee will make concrete suggestions on increasing public safety.

“I think we’ve been successful when residents and the police work together,” said Mayor Don Martinez.

But some residents complained that the Sheriff’s Department is slow to respond to emergency calls or unhelpful to residents who want to patrol against crime.

“We’re working really hard to prevent crime, but we need some support on this,” said Roberta Allen-Latiner, a board officer of the Stanton Park community.

She complained that the Sheriff’s Department refuses to release crime figures to her, which she wants to publish in the monthly community newsletter. She said crime statistics would be helpful to her Neighborhood Watch group.

Orange County Sheriff’s Capt. Robert Eason attended the meeting and took notes, but he was not asked to speak. He has said his department responds to emergency calls in an average of less than five minutes. Stanton contracts with the county for police and fire protection.

Councilman Sal Sapien defended law enforcement.

“Over the last few years we have had drastic reductions in crime,” he said. But he agreed that there is room for improvement.

“Maybe this committee can come up with better ways to use our resources,” Sapien said. “We have to have a battle plan.”

The council agreed to appoint five people to the new committee, and will ask them to hold public hearings on safety. The committee will study the issue for 90 days, Martinez said, and then make recommendations to the council.

Applications to join the new committee are due Nov. 29, and the council is scheduled to make appointments Dec. 7.