In recent years, I have come to appreciate that the “Rule of Law” may be an even greater asset than our system of democratic elections. The “Rule of Law” is a framework of laws, ideally created by the capable, ethical, and responsible representatives we, the citizens of the United States, elect. This “Rule of Law” should apply to all people in this country, regardless of how powerful they are. Ideally, this framework of laws should ensure public safety and would advance the concepts enumerated in the U.S. Constitution, which we are fortunate to have inherited and which we must maintain to continue to reach towards the ideals of our founding fathers.

To me, the “Rule of Law” is like a sword. And the indispensable blade of the sword is enforcement. We the people must monitor and mold enforcement in accordance with the ideals of the Constitution. That is why you will never see this column advocating “Defund the Police.” The police exist as servants of the people, paid to maintain our public safety and our system of justice. To not support and monitor the police would be to abdicate our quest for public safety and the quest to achieve the ideals of the country’s founding fathers.

So please excuse the loftiness and perhaps unrealistic vision I just described. That is the background philosophy behind this column. But the goal of this column is also to inform Fullertonians on what’s happening regarding police activity and local crime.

Here are significant stories since July 5, which have had additional Observer coverage online.

A man allegedly barricaded himself inside and proceeded to vandalize the Rodeo Smoke Shop on Orangethorpe Avenue on Sunday, July 12. According to the Fullerton Police Department, 41-year-old Michael Black, allegedly armed with a knife, entered the store around 10:30am and caused extensive damage. A frightened female employee fled the building and called 911 at the neighboring K’s Market. Black was arrested under Penal Code 594(B)(1) and was held in Orange County Jail. Since the damage was estimated at $30,000, Black, a previously convicted felon, faces up to $50,000 in fines as well as possible imprisonment for that offense.

On the night of July 10, Fullerton Police arrested five people in two separate and unrelated incidents involving illegal narcotics.
Officers seized in total:

Approximately 17 grams of fentanyl (potentially enough to kill over 8,000 people according to the DEA)
19.5 grams of methamphetamine
28 grams of cocaine
20 illicit pills

The five suspects were taken into custody and booked on felony and misdemeanor drug-related charges.

On July 15, Fullerton Police arrested Claudio Marino Hernandez Lopez in Los Angeles for failure to appear in response to a warrant. In Fullerton, they charged him with (Penal Code 288.7(a)) sexual intercourse or sodomy with a child 10 years old or younger. He is currently being held in lieu of $1,000,000 bail. The Fullerton Police Department requested that anyone with additional information or who believes they may have been an unreported victim of Hernandez Lopez should call the Fullerton Police Department. If they wish to remain anonymous, they can contact Orange County Crime Stoppers at 847-6227 or by visiting occrimestoppers.org.

Arrest Overview for July 3 through July 25

There were 346 arrests made in the record we received. Note: Arrestees are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

• 25.72% Drug-related
• 24.86% Miscellaneous
• 15.32% DUI-related
• 15.03% Violence-related
• 11.27% Trespassing/camping
• 5.78% Theft-related
• 1.16% Vandalism-related
• 0.29% Firearm-related
• 0.29% Sex-offender-related
• 0.29% Arson-related