Arrests fewer at ’09 OC Fair

There were half as many arrests at the Orange County Fair compared with last year, according to statistics released Thursday by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

In the five weeks the fair took place, sheriff’s deputies arrested 37 people on a variety of charges, ranging from assault and domestic violence to obstructing a police officer.

While attendance was about the same, authorities credited the dramatic decrease in incidents to improved communication among agencies covering the fair.

Among them, the Costa Mesa and Seal Beach police departments had officers at the fair and the U.S. Secret Service was present to monitor any incidents of counterfeit money. Seal Beach police officers were there as part of a countywide task force that targets sexual predators.

The probation department was also in constant contact with the Sheriff’s Department and used a type of electronic fence on the perimeter of the fair to monitor if any convicted sex offenders tried to get in, said Deputy Mark Alsobrook.

Authorities arrested three sex offenders who they said violated probation by going to the fair. The men were monitored with ankle bracelets that alerted their probation officers if they crossed the fair’s perimeter. The probation officer then notified sheriff’s deputies with a description and location so they could make an arrest, Alsobrook said.

“It was an uneventful year as far as crime stats. It’s actually better for us,” Alsobrook said. “It’s a lot better and helps maintain the family-friendly atmosphere.”

Police recorded 11 assaults, one assault on a peace officer, five citations for marijuana, one stolen car on the last night of the fair, three tickets for minors possessing alcohol, two grand thefts and one sexual assault.