In what local authorities are calling perhaps the most
law-abiding Fiesta ever, the annual early August debauchery came
and went last week with relatively little police action. Beefed-up
patrols by S.B. city cops and the County Sheriff’s Department,
coupled with high-wattage street lights and frequent road blocks,
resulted in almost half as many arrests and citations as last
year’s Fiesta. All told, 292 citations were given for misdemeanor
infractions like open alcohol containers and peeing in public, and
172 traffic and parking tickets were written. There were 32 felony
arrests stemming from assaults, drug possession, and/or firearm
violations. The one category of crime that did see a spike this
year was drunk driving, with 14 people arrested on suspicion of
driving under the influence. Additionally, local cops were happy to
report that “formal” contact was made with 92 known local gang
members as part of ongoing policing activities.
