ANAHEIM : Party Will Celebrate Fight Against Crime

A neighborhood in north central Anaheim where residents and police have been vigilantly fighting crime for the past five months will hold its first-ever block party Saturday to celebrate its success.

A group of residents, which calls itself TOPS, an acronym for the four badly bruised streets of Topeka, Olive, Pauline and Sabina, walked those streets twice weekly since last November in an effort to rid the area of prostitution, gang and drug-related activities that were taking over the neighborhood.

Police joined in the fight in June after hundreds of residents complained about the problems. Since then, no drive-by shootings have occurred and TOPS members, who used to get pelted with bottles, rocks, tomatoes, apples and oranges, no longer do.

TOPS member Lois Schechinger said residents are not afraid to walk their streets at night any more, don’t live in fear for their lives and children can again play in their front yards.

“It’s pretty much cleaned up now and we’re so happy, we’re holding this block party,” she said. “It’s a nice, clean and safer neighborhood now.”

The party will take place in the 600 block of Sabina Street from 3 to 8 p.m. About 500 residents are expected to attend.