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100 Arrested In Newport Beach For Partying Too Hard On Fourth Of July
Ain't no party like a Newport Beach party: Nearly 100 people were arrested overnight for public intoxication or disorderly conduct.
Newport Beach Lt. D. Psaros told City News Service said that there were 98 confirmed arrests, "but once the final tabulations are done, we expect over 100.'' That's up from last year's count of 87.
Psaros said the most of the arrests came from the city's west side, an area of apartments and condominiums where the biggest parties are held.
Newport Beach police stepped up their efforts against out-of-control partying this year by enlisting help from Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Anaheim police, along with the CHP. They were out patrolling on foot, on bike and on horseback, according to CBS News, although they used less manpower than last year. They also opted not to barricade any streets as in the past.
"We are just out here helping keep the crime down and helping the city of Newport Beach have a great 4th of July," CHP Officer Robert Flocker told CBS News. One resident told CBS that he thought the police were "more lenient" this year.
Huntington Beach also used to have dozens of arrests during the night of July 4, but this year they only had 22, according to Huntington Beach Detention Supervisor Todd Florez.
Between midnight today and 5 a.m., 13 people were booked into the jail for mostly alcohol-related offenses, he said, down from 35 arrests last year on July 4 and 18 on July 5.
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Hermosa Beach police enforced a new smoking ban in the Plaza and on the Strand and "was more stringent this year than in years past'' in enforcing existing alcohol ordinances, Sgt. Kevin Averil told CNS. By 3 a.m. today, there were 22 arrested in Hermosa Beach.
"By far, most are alcohol-related, drunk in public, '' he said."There were some fights and a DUI.'' At least two inmates were sent to the Manhattan Beach jail because Hermosa ran out of room, Averill said. "There were also a lot of citations issued."
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