Youth party leads to mother’s arrest

A 51-year-old Laguna Beach mother was arrested, and dozens of juveniles detained, after police were called to a party with about 70 young people, some as young as 13, in the 30000 block of Mar Vista Avenue at 9:27 p.m. Sept. 24, Sgt. Louise Callus said. Police had been alerted to a large number of illegally parked vehicles in the neighborhood.

Officers alleged that some juveniles had been consuming alcohol at the party, which was reportedly put on by the mother of a juvenile who lives at the residence, Callus said. The mother was also alleged to have participated in the party with the young people.

Amy Gael Martin was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and drug possession. About 14 citations were issued to juveniles for violating curfew. Martin was held on $20,000 bail, according to police records.

Jewelry store break-in attempt probed

Laguna Beach police are seeking a suspect who broke a window at a jewelry store in an apparent burglary attempt at 10:45 p.m. Sunday in the 400 block of South Coast Highway, Callus said.

The suspect was described as a light-skinned black male, 5 foot 9 inches, wearing a white hat and long-sleeved blue hooded shirt, and possibly wearing eyeglasses.

The suspect broke an exterior window with a bag weighted with a rock. No entry was made to the store and nothing was stolen.

Three new officers join police force

Three new Laguna Beach Police Officers graduated from the Golden West College Criminal Justice Training Center’s Basic Recruit Academy in September, according to City Manager Ken Frank in his Friday Update of Sept. 24.

Chief Paul Workman gave the keynote address to the 28-member graduating class, as well as hundreds of family members and colleagues from police departments throughout the county. The new recruits are:

•Jonathon Boyce, who grew up locally and attended El Toro High School. Boyce holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Massachusetts with an emphasis in criminal justice. Boyce has worked two summers as a beach patrol officer and more recently as a booking officer.

•James Michaud served in the Marine Corps as a military policeman. After his return from Iraq, he was selected to receive Golden West College’s Returning Combat Veterans Scholarship to attend the Academy.

•Abe Ocampo was raised in Glendale and is fluent in Spanish. Ocampo received the class’s Director’s Award for Outstanding Character and graduated third overall in his class. He is married with two children.