Date of Release: Monday June 9, 2008

Date of Event: Friday July 4, 2008

Type of Event: Public Safety Plan Fourth of July 2008

Description of Event:

The Sheriff’s Office asks all visitors and residents to respect our neighborhoods and beaches during the upcoming July 4 weekend.

The Sheriff’s Office and State Parks are preparing a comprehensive plan of enforcement for the unincorporated areas for Friday, July 4, 2008 and the holiday weekend. In part, this is a response to a long history of large crowds as well as community input regarding assaults, gang related problems, public intoxication, property damage, disturbance of the peace, fireworks and severe fire danger.

The Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of other agencies such as California State Parks, California Highway Patrol, Santa Cruz Probation, California State Parole, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, and firefighters will be visibly and actively enforcing the law to insure that residents and visitors enjoy a safe holiday experience. In addition to extra staffing for the neighborhoods, extra patrols and officers will be conducting enforcement along the North Coast Beaches, Central and Live Oak Beaches, Aptos and Watsonville Beaches from the border of San Mateo County to the border of Monterey County.

Possession of open containers of alcohol and consumption of alcoholic beverages in public areas that include all beaches is unlawful. Possession of any fireworks including those designated as SAFE and SANE are unlawful. Please do NOT bring alcoholic beverages or fireworks of any kind to the beach or into the unincorporated areas of the county. A new County Ordinance for penalty enhancements during holiday periods makes it a $1,000 fine for persons arrested for fireworks violations, possessing open containers of alcohol in public, consuming alcohol in public and noise violations between July 2 and July 6.

Additionally, glass containers, wood pallets, or wood containing nails, unleashed pets and vehicles are prohibited on public beaches. Please be reminded to make fires in designated fire rings only and to NOT cover fires with sand because it hides hot coals that can cause serious burns to unsuspecting pedestrians. Similarly, do NOT empty a barbeque onto the sand. Parking in many areas including the North Coast is restricted after 10 pm. There is no overnight camping in non-designated campgrounds and no overnight camping on the street.

Officers from California State Parole and the Santa Cruz County Probation Department will be on duty and working assigned areas to assist law enforcement in insuring compliance for Parolees and Probationers.

Joint Agency Gang (JAG) officers will be performing directed patrol to conduct criminal street gang enforcement and suppression.

Juveniles are often targeted as victims of crime, exposed to, or involved in criminal activity when there are large gatherings during hours of darkness. Parents are reminded to insure that there is a responsible adult involved in the direct supervision of children and youth under 18 years old. The Youth Protection Curfew is designed to enforce direct supervision after 11 pm.

Fireworks of any kind are prohibited in all unincorporated areas of the county including all state and county beaches. Strict enforcement action will be taken against those found to be in possession of any fireworks including SAFE and SANE Fireworks. Those in possession of firecrackers, cherry bombs, M-80’s, M-100’s, bottle rockets, rockets of any kind, mortars and commercial grade fireworks will be subject to enforcement action, including physical arrest as appropriate. Possession of large firecrackers, mortars, or commercial grade fireworks is a felony. In light of the recent Summit fire and its devastating effects on our community, increased risk of fire caused by fireworks is a grave concern.

Road closures and a traffic plan with detours will be in effect on the Fourth of July. Refer to the attached list for the specific closures.

The Sheriff’s Office will be operating a mobile Command Post for the beach and coastal operations. It will be located at upper SeaCliff State Beach. Members of the press are invited to contact a designated press information officer in the press staging area near the Command Post for information and update this Fourth of July.

Prepared by: Fred Plageman, Sergeant

Community Relations

Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office

(831) 454-2288

Approved by: Jeff Marsh, Lieutenant

Special Services, Patrol Administration (831) 454-2440

Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office

Distribution: Sheriff-Coroner, State Parks, CHP, Santa Cruz PD, Capitola PD, UCSC PD, Santa Cruz Port District Police, Chief Deputy Operations, Chief Deputy Corrections, Chief Deputy Administration, Investigations Lieutenant, Patrol Roll Call, Press Board, Community Relations, Service Centers SLV, Live Oak/Soquel, Aptos, Watsonville, Cabrillo Sheriff’s Office, Webmaster, Net-Com, All Bay Area Press Fax, Local Press Fax, Local Press email, Cal Fire, Central Fire

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