Santa Cruz Police Announce New Year's Eve Arrests

SANTA CRUZ, CA — With ramped up police presence in Santa Cruz on New Year's Eve, the city rang in 2020 without any major incidents.

Between 8 p.m. on December 31 and 2:30 a.m. January 1, Santa Cruz police officers responded to 83 calls for service; six people were arrested (two on warrants and four for public intoxication). Officers issued a total of five citations.

During the time period, SCPD deployed additional officers on foot patrol throughout the downtown corridor and enforced a "Safety Enhancement Zone" in the area that came with "triple fines" for violations.

Crowds gathered for a city-sponsored countdown celebration at the Town Clock, which included music and a small fireworks display to bring in the New Year. In all, the New Year’s Eve event drew a crowd of approximately 1,500 revelers to the downtown area, according to the SCPD.