Disneyland Probe Will Clear Air

Though it opened more than 40 years ago, Disneyland retains its hold on the imagination. Last year more than 14 million people visited the Anaheim theme park, the most ever. This year could see that record broken.

But two recent complaints have raised questions about the actions of security officers at Disneyland, a venue that thrives on its image of fun and entertainment for families.

The U.S. Department of Justice has confirmed that it is conducting a preliminary inquiry into an incident last year to see if the civil rights of a Covina family were violated.

That inquiry by an outside agency is a good idea. If Disneyland’s employees are found not to have acted wrongly, it should reassure other visitors to the park. But if the complaint were upheld, it would send a signal to the company that its employees need to be trained better in how to deal with the public, even if some visitors are suspected of wrongdoing.

The Justice Department is looking into the detention of the family of Robin Paulson in April of 1995. Paulson has charged in a lawsuit that plainclothes security personnel roughed up members of her family and questioned them for three hours without making it clear why they were detained. Paulson was not charged with any crime, but one daughter pleaded guilty to minor charges and paid a $100 fine.

A Disneyland spokesman declined to discuss specific cases but defended the park’s security personnel, saying they are trained to be courteous while ensuring visitors’ safety.

In a separate incident, a Fullerton woman said her two children, ages 2 and 4, walked out of a toy store in Disneyland with three small stuffed animals she did not realize they had. She said as she prepared to return to the store she was grabbed by security guards. After an Anaheim police officer gave the mother a citation, a Disneyland investigator allegedly told her she would be fined--before she had been convicted of anything.

The woman refused to pay. Again, Disneyland officials did not comment on the case. But in any event, the park would be wise to review its security procedures continually. Disneyland is one of the county’s grand attractions, and if need be, it should be prepared to fine-tune policies to ensure the fun, safety and security of all its many visitors.