Costa Mesa police launch new Web page

Greg Risling

COSTA MESA -- Residents will no longer have to wait for the morning paper

-- or even watch the nightly news on TV -- to find out about major crime

incidents in the community.

A new Web page sponsored by the city’s police department will allow them

to get the news directly from the information superhighway.

The page, which is accessed through the city’s Web site and will be

updated regularly, allows the public an opportunity to get information

accurately and quickly, police said.

“This gives not only the media but the public an opportunity to know what

the police are doing,” said Costa Mesa police Lt. John FitzPatrick. “The

Internet has become a good source of information. We thought it best to

take further strides into the 21st century.”

The new Web page is an offshoot of a similar site the police department

already had that stated its general mission and internal structure. The

public can now obtain information about any serious crimes that merit

attention. Major incidents, written in a short, press-oriented format,

will be put on the site within a matter of hours after they occur.

For instance, FitzPatrick placed four press releases on the site last

week when it debuted. Whether it was the arrest of basketball star Dennis

Rodman on suspicion of driving under the influence or a shooting on the

West Side, the public will have access to the same details that

newspapers print the following day.

The department is the latest law enforcement agency in Orange County to

take advantage of the Internet as a way of getting information out to the

community. Some agencies, such as the Buena Park Police Department and

the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, have employed detailed pages that

provide everything from crime prevention tips to job opportunities.

Buena Park’s police Web site has been “hit” more than 16,000 times since

it was created in August 1997.

While Costa Mesa’s site may not be as sophisticated as those of other law

enforcement agencies, department officials plan to make improvements in

the coming year. Chief Dave Snowden would like to have an interactive Web

site on which he and his officers could answer any questions the public

may have.

“It would be held in complete confidentiality and it would give another

tool to people,” FitzPatrick said. “We think it’s a great idea.”

FYI

Check out the new Web page by logging on to the city of Costa Mesa’s Web

site at o7 www.cityofcostamesa.comf7 and click on “PD Press Releases.”