PLACENTIA

One of the Atwood residents involved in a lawsuit against the city and the Police Department chastised Councilwoman Maria Moreno at a community meeting Tuesday night for not doing enough to protect the youth in the area from “bad cops.”

Moreno, who hosted the meeting at the Gomez Community Center to update residents on sidewalk construction and various parks and recreational programs planned for Atwood, said she could not comment on the case because of pending litigation, but said she is working to introduce and improve programs for young people. She said she plans to ask the Police Department to start a community policing program in an effort to improve relations.

But Dolores Cruz, whose 18-year-old son was taken into custody after a massive police sweep, contended that the police are “out of control and someone needs to put a stop to it.”

The suit, filed on behalf of 15 families, alleges police committed multiple civil liberties and constitutional rights violations during a Jan. 6 execution of search warrants for suspects in a slaying. Police from 18 departments raided 21 homes--17 in Atwood. The Placentia Police Department said officers acted legally; the searches resulted in seven arrests.