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Laguna Beach mayor credits staffing and new technology after state crime ranking
Summary
Mayor Alex Renaghi said California Department of Justice data show Laguna Beach among the safest coastal cities in Orange County and credited police hiring, a recent contract raise and investments in license-plate readers, cameras and a planned real-time crime center for the improvement.
Mayor Alex Renaghi said Laguna Beach ranked at the top among coastal cities in Orange County for violent crime and second for property crime based on California Department of Justice data, and he credited recent police hiring and technology investments for the improvement.
The ranking "in terms of violent crime, we are the safest. And then property crime, we are number 2 behind Dana Point," Renaghi said on the Fair Game Laguna podcast. He said filling vacancies and approving a contract raise for officers helped the city attract and retain personnel.
"One of the first action that Mark and I took when we joined was joining the city council in closed session to approve terms for the police officers contract. And in that contract, we gave them a raise ... we've been able to fill most of, if not all of the vacancies," Renaghi said, attributing part of the progress to the department's leadership. He named Chief Calvert for his role in that effort.
Renaghi also described investments in surveillance and data tools. He said Laguna Beach previously had license-plate readers and is developing a "real-time crime center" that would connect cameras placed around the city. "The idea ... is essentially where you have cameras in different strategic places around the city," he said, adding that Newport Beach is piloting a "drones as first responders program" where drones are dispatched to give officers visual information while they respond.
Tom Johnson, the show's host, praised Chief Calvert's visibility in the community and said license-plate-reader programs in nearby cities have had "incredible" success at alerting staff to problem vehicles entering city limits.
Renaghi said the goal of the technology is both to give officers better information when responding and to have a deterrent effect on crime. He did not present a new council vote or policy change during the conversation; his remarks described ongoing investments and the city's existing contract terms.
City officials did not provide budget figures for the new equipment or an implementation timeline on the podcast. Renaghi said the city is "continuing to invest" and highlighted community policing as central to the department's approach.
