COMMUNITY POLICE-TO-CIVILIAN RATIOS

Among Orange County communities, Newport Beach has the best police-officer-to-civilian ratio, followed by Los Alamitos and Laguna Beach. The Newport department has one officer for every 477 residents. In contrast, officers in Fountain Valley and Brea have to work with a ratio of 960-to-1. In Brea matters are a bit more complicated, as the department has the responsibility of policing Yorba Linda as well.

Full-time Police Residents Per City Officers * Population Police Officer Newport Beach 146 69,600 477 Los Alamitos 25 12,100 484 Laguna Beach 46 24,250 527 Santa Ana 355 231,500 652 Costa Mesa 140 91,900 656 Seal Beach 40 27,350 684 Tustin 66 45,750 693 La Palma 22 16,100 732 Anaheim 326 243,000 745 Fullerton 146 110,600 758 Buena Park 86 66,200 770 Orange 134 104,900 783 Huntington Beach 235 187,700 799 San Clemente 46 37,500 815 Westminster 90 73,800 820 Garden Grove 160 134,300 839 Irvine 115 97,900 851 Placentia 48 41,100 856 Cypress 50 43,300 866 La Habra 53 48,800 921 Brea ** 82 ** 78,750 960 Fountain Valley 58 55,700 960

* As of Jan. 1, 1988

** Includes Yorba Linda

Note: Mission Viejo, San Juan Capistrano, Stanton and Villa Park are policed by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Source: California Department of Finance, Population Research Unit; individual police departments