Briefly In Public Safety

New firefighters start next weekend

Laguna Beach’s new firefighters will start official assignments Thanksgiving weekend.

Division Chief Dan Stefano said the five new firefighters are completing their two-week orientation and “shadow shifts” in preparation for their assignments. The training covers fire and rescue operations, such as learning about structural firefighting, wildland firefighting, vehicle extraction, emergency medical, and search and rescue operations.

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Three arrested on suspicion of possession

Three Mission Viejo residents were arrested Nov. 10 on drug-related charges after a resident reported men waiting in a car for a “private dancer.”

At 7:40 p.m. near Chillon Way and Alta Laguna Boulevard, a person reported two suspicious men in a two-door Mercedes-Benz, who they believed were waiting for a dancer who was inside a nearby home, according to Lt. Jason Kravetz.

Officers came to the scene and found a woman and two men in the car. They were asked to exit the vehicle due to visible drug paraphernalia.

Michelle Margaret Sommerhauser, 26, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Eric Christian Brown, 21, was arrested for possession of paraphernalia and furnishing narcotics, and Derek Lloyd Horner, 22, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

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Police: Woman hid hypodermic syringe in bra

A 24-year-old Carlsbad woman was arrested on drug-related charges after a traffic stop Nov. 7.

Officers noticed a vehicle traveling above the speed limit in the 1600 block of Coast Highway at 1:20 a.m. and initiated a traffic stop, according to Sgt. Robert Rahaeuser.

After stopping, the officers asked all four people in the vehicle to exit. Upon exiting the vehicle, an officer noticed a wadded-up tissue by the car door, which turned out to have a small amount of heroin, Rahaeuser said.

Erin Amber Sainz was arrested for possession of heroin and possession of a hypodermic syringe, which was concealed in her bra, Rahaeuser said.

— Joanna Clay

Twitter: @joannaclay