Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Public Safety

Food safety still a problem at some popular Downtown Santa Ana restaurants

Posted on by Posted in Bars, Food, Health and Medical, Janet Nguyen, Public Safety, Restaurants, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Food Safety

It has been a few months since I took a look at the food safety records of many of the most popular bars and restaurants in Downtown Santa Ana.  The news is not great.

Orange County’s Health Care Agency inspects our restaurants but they are not required to post letter grades, thanks to Supervisor Janet Nguyen who was the key vote against letter grades a few years ago.  She did not tell anyone at the time that her own husband and her then Chief of Staff owned a Lee’s Sandwiches in Stanton that at the time had a terrible health record.

So here is our updated rundown of O.C. Health Care Agency inspections of our local Downtown Santa Ana restaurants: Continue reading→

OC BERT Survival and Recovery Preparation course set for July 11

Posted on by Posted in Business, Education, Entertainment, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Bert Triangle Updated

The Orange County Business Emergency Response Team is hosting a “Survival and Recovery Preparation” course on Thursday, July 11, 2013, from 7:15 am to 12:15 pm, at the Centennial Park Joint Police Training Facility, located at 3006 Centennial Road, in Santa Ana. Enter park; turn Right around lake;turn Right at parking structure; go to Flagpole.

Learn what to do until First Responders Arrive… Continue reading→

Benavides apparently wants to keep bars in town open until 4 a.m.

Posted on by Posted in Alcohol, Bars, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Phil Bacerra, Planning, Public Safety, Santa Ana 27 Comments

David Benavides at Alderete's Fundraiser

Santa Ana Councilman David Benavides is apparently pushing for a modification to the City of Santa Ana’s Proposed Alcohol and Entertainment Ordinance that I can at best call irresponsible and ridiculous. Click here to read what Benavides is proposing.

Benavides wants to allow after-hours alcohol sales up to 4 am.  Currently bars in town have to close up at 2 am at the latest. Continue reading→

Elderly Vietnamese man who needs his meds is missing in Garden Grove

Posted on by Posted in Garden Grove, Health and Medical, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Vietnamese Leave a comment

Trung Quoc Hoang

Orange County Sheriff’s Department
Media Release – Missing Person
Name: Trung Quoc Hoang
Description: 5’4,” 140 lbs., Grey Hair, Brown Eyes

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department needs your assistance in locating Trung Quoc Hoang. Trung was last seen yesterday, 07-05-13, in the area of Hazard and Brookhurst in the city of Garden Grove. Trung has a medical condition that requires medication. Continue reading→

Supervisor Spitzer urges safe use of fireworks in Orange County

Posted on by Posted in Fires, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Todd Spitzer Leave a comment

Supervisor Todd Spitzer Urges Safe Use of Fireworks in Orange County

On Monday, July 1, Supervisor Todd Spitzer spoke at a press conference on fireworks safety. The press conference was organized by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) and the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA). An OCFA Director, Supervisor Spitzer discussed the importance of knowing the difference between legal and illegal fireworks. He also stressed the need to always operate legal fireworks safely and under the supervision of an adult. Supervisor Spitzer emphasized the importance of not drinking alcohol while using fireworks. Adults who are legally operating fireworks should do so in a controlled atmosphere.

“Water boils at 212 degrees, glass melts at 900 degrees, and fireworks sparklers burn at 1200 degrees,” Supervisor Spitzer said. “Please be aware of the extreme heat of a burning sparkler and all safe and sane devices while safely operating such fireworks.” Continue reading→

O.C. law enforcement DUI Task Force to crack down on drunks drivers on the 4th

Posted on by Posted in Alcohol, Anaheim, Bars, Costa Mesa, Crime, Fountain Valley, Orange, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment
SAPD DUI Checkpoint
 
Law Enforcement DUI Task Force Cracking Down On Impaired Drivers This Fourth of July
 
SANTA ANA, CA (July 2, 2013) – Most Americans may not realize it, but the Fourth of July is one of the deadliest holidays of the year due to alcohol-impaired driving crashes.
 
This Fourth of July, law enforcement throughout Orange County are stepping up enforcement efforts as part of the ongoing DUI Task Force, joining thousands of agencies statewide in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement crackdown to catch and arrest impaired drivers who put themselves and others at risk. The deputies and officers of the task force will be out in full force this Fourth of July holiday weekend showing zero tolerance for impaired drivers. Continue reading→

H.B. teacher charged with sexually assaulting a young female relative

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Education, Huntington Beach, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment
Jeffrey Scott Jones

Photo Courtesy of the H.B. Police Dept.

Orange County District Attorney, Press Release
For Immediate Release, Case # 13WF1948: July 2, 2013

ADDITIONAL VICTIMS OF TEACHER CHARGED WITH SEXUALLY ASSAULTING FEMALE RELATIVE

WESTMINSTER – Law enforcement is seeking the public’s help identifying potential additional victims of a teacher charged with sexually assaulting a female relative. Jeffrey Scott Jones, 53, Huntington Beach, is charged with two felony counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one felony count of continuous sexual abuse. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration. The defendant is being held on $1 million bail is scheduled for a continued arraignment Aug. 16, 2013, at 8:30 a.m. in Department W-2, West Justice Center, Westminster. Continue reading→

The SAPD has reportedly shut down their Strike Force/SWAT Team

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Rojas, Civic Affairs, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana 11 Comments

SAPD SWAT

The Santa Ana Police Department’s decorated Strike Force, which acted as the city’s SWAT team, has been disbanded, by Acting Chief of Police Carlos Rojas, according to an insider who tipped us off this evening.

I am told that Chief Rojas is calling this a budget move but the truth may be more sinister.  Rojas called the Strike Force into a meeting recently and he told them essentially that they had not accomplished anything and that he had heard that they were talking about him behind his back. He told them no one at the SAPD thought the Strike Force was a good idea, which I am told is untrue.  He apparently also belittled them and their past successes.

Continue reading→

Santa Ana daily crime report for June 29, 2013

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

SAPD arrests suspects

This is our newest feature – a daily crime report for the City of Santa Ana, courtesy of our friends at CrimeMapping.com.

The information below pertains to crimes committed on June 29, 2013.  As you will see, there is never a dull moment in Orange County’s Downtown – Santa Ana.

Type  Description   Case #   Location   Agency  Date  Map It

  • Disturbing the PeaceSAMC Violations2013-18081200 BLOCK N BROADWAYSanta Ana Police6/29/2013 9:06:00 PMMap It
  • Motor Vehicle TheftVehicle Theft2013-180772200 BLOCK W 14TH STSanta Ana Police6/29/2013 9:05:00 PMMap It
  • AssaultDomestic Violence2013-180752200 BLOCK W LA VERNE AVSanta Ana Police6/29/2013 7:47:00 PMMap It Continue reading→

Man shot during attempted robbery at Santa Ana’s Memorial Park

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

SAPD Car

A 40-something man was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in Santa Ana Monday night, at Memorial Park,  in the 2100 block of Flower Street, according to CBS News.

Two male suspects, described as “gang member types” and believed to be in their late teens or early 20’s, wearing black clothing, approached two male residents in their 30s or 40s in Memorial Park Monday night. The suspect are believed to have been trying to rob the victims, police said, according to ABC News. Continue reading→

Protest demanding justice for victims of police brutality set for 7/22

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, OCDA, Police Brutality, Public Safety, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Protesters demanding “Justice for victims of Police brutality and murders” will be speaking out at the offices of the Orange County District Attorney on Monday, July 22, 2013, from 9 am to 12 noon.

They are demanding a stop to:

  • Killer cops
  • the unilateral gang enhancement
  • sentencing minors as adults
  • and the continuing crimalization of youth of color
  • ICE out county and city jails Continue reading→

Woman shot by the SAPD was wanted in Orange, for killing another woman

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Orange, Public Safety, Santa Ana 1 Comment
Jessica Gonzalez

Jessica Gonzalez

Santa Ana Police Department Advisory: Officer Involved Shooting Update – 800 S. Townsend

SANTA ANA, CA (June 24, 2013) – On 6/23/13 at approximately 0805 hours, two officers were patrolling the area of 800 S. Townsend. During this patrol check, an officer encountered a female in the alley and an officer involved shooting occurred. The female was struck and was taken to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries at 0855 hours. It was later learned that a replica firearm was located near the female’s body after she was taken into custody.

On 6/24/13, the Orange County Coroner’s office notified the suspect’s next of kin and confirmed the female’s identity, as that of 35-year old Jessica Gonzalez. Gonzalez was also confirmed as the same suspect wanted in connection with Orange Police Department’s recent homicide. Continue reading→