Police Enforcement on 4th Praised, Berated

The Police Department’s “zero tolerance” policy on Fourth of July revelry drew sharp criticism from some residents this week, but others commended officers and city officials for a job well done.

“You truly deserve our appreciation,” said Loretta Wolfe, co-chair of the Downtown Residents Assn. “The plan was a success because everyone worked together. . . . You gave the residents what they deserved: a great Fourth of July.”

She was one of more than a dozen speakers at this week’s City Council meeting, the first since the holiday, when more than 500 people were arrested, most of them for alcohol-related offenses.

The strong police action was in response to violence and disturbances that have marred the holiday in years past.

Resident Arthur Rosen told the council that this holiday, for the first time in a number of years, “we were able to walk around downtown without fear of flying water balloons, roving bands of kids looking for trouble and having firecrackers thrown about.”

Others, however, alleged that people’s civil rights were violated and that the show of police force was like martial law.

Businessman Sylvester Lucio told the council that he was arrested and spent 12 hours in jail for not having a bike license and not having identification.

Some residents also complained about arrests on private property. Mike Schillmoeller said he spent 13 hours in jail after being taken by police from his friend’s front lawn.

“I had my independence taken away,” Schillmoeller said.

Police Chief Ronald E. Lowenberg defended his officers, saying they did a “superb job under adverse conditions.” To date, he said, his department has received only two formal complaints.

“This plan went well, but there’s always room for improvement,” Lowenberg said of the strategy, which included barricading a 20-block area of downtown and dispatching officers to enforce all municipal codes vigorously.

Of the 549 people arrested, 40% were Huntington Beach residents.