BREA : Police Providing New Service of Mediating Disputes
People upset about neighbors’ barking dogs, tenants in disputes with their landlords, and other people in situations that could end up in court have a new forum for settling differences.
Through Dispute Resolution Services, launched by the Police Department this past summer, a mediator sits down with both parties to find a solution. There is no charge for the service, which is offered through a countywide nonprofit organization, Community Service Programs Inc.
“This is what community policing is all about,” said Detective Terry Fincher. “We want to help people and not just put them in jail when things get out of control.”
Many of the people the program serves, Fincher said, cannot afford counselors or lawyers.
Judi Skalnik, assistant director of Community Service Programs, said the organization encourages people to deal with the consequences of their actions.
“When a teen-ager throws a rock through a car window, it seems random, but it’s not,” she said. “If you sit that teen-ager down with the person who owns the car, they have to take responsibility.”
The Brea program also serves Yorba Linda and is one of 19 such programs in the county. All mediators are trained volunteers.
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