Buena Park Police Department

If a loved one, a family member or you have been arrested by or are being investigated by the Buena Park Police Department, it can cause a lot of anxiety.

Facing such a situation, one’s anxiety may be reduced by knowing the bail amount (if any) associated with the offense or offenses at issue if police deny an own recognizance (OR) release. It is also helpful to know what evidence is needed to convict one for the crime or crimes that allegedly took place, the defenses possible and the sentence a judge can impose if one is convicted of the crime or crimes.
We at Greg Hill & Associates believe it is prudent to know a few more things before interacting with any branch of law enforcement. It can be wise to know the size of the police or sheriff’s department, the area’s demographics, the most common types of crimes the department investigates and just a bit about the area’s history to make one’s communication with law enforcement more meaningful, more savvy and perhaps, more respectful. This can lead to a better outcome than if one lacks such perspective.

This article is presented with these goals in mind.

The Buena Park Police Department is a medium to large force. It has 85 sworn police officers and 36 civilian support personnel assigned to it.

The Buena Park Police Department is responsible for patrolling the City of Buena Park.

The city is 10.55 square miles and has a population of 84,034 as of the 2020 census. As of 2020, the city’s population was 19.43% non-Hispanic white, 32.72% Asian, 2.98% African American and 40.85% Hispanic.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Buena Park had a median household income of $64,205, with 11.1% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

According to the California Secretary of State, as of October 24, 2022, Buena Park has 43,879 registered voters. Of those, 18,709 (42.63%) are registered Democrats, 11,999 (27.34%) are registered Republicans, and 13,171 (30.01%) have declined to state a political party/are independents.

The City of Buena Park is known for being the home to Knott’s Berry Farm and supermarket chain 99 Ranch Market. Knott’s Berry Farm is the top employer in the city, employing over 5,000 people.

Knott’s Berry Farm is owned and operated by Six Flags. The park began as a roadside berry stand run by Walter Knott along State Route 39 (Beach Boulevard). By the 1940’s, a restaurant, several shops, and other attractions had been constructed on the property to entertain a growing number of visitors, including a replica ghost town. The site continued its transformation into a modern amusement park over the next two decades, and an admission charge was added in 1968.

In March 2015, it was ranked as the twelfth-most-visited theme park in North America, while averaging approximately 4 million visitors per year. The park features over 40 rides, including roller coasters and water rides.

Buena Park's main commercial artery is Beach Boulevard (California State Route 39), running north–south and connecting the city's civic center, the E-Zone entertainment district (which includes Knott’s Berry Farm), and the Buena Park downtown shopping center.

Three Cal Trans state maintained highways run through the city. They include Interstate 5 (I-5, also known as the Santa Ana Freeway), California State Route 39 (Beach Boulevard) and California State Route 91 (the “91 Freeway” or the Artesia Freeway). The freeways connect Buena Park with cities west–east and south–north respectively.

Most cases arising out of the Buena Park Police Department’s areas of responsibility are brought at the Fullerton Courthouse, but some are also brought at the Central Justice Center at 700 Civic Center Driver West in downtown Santa Ana. Cases that may be filed at the Central Justice Center instead of at the Fullerton Courthouse would be very serious cases needing specialized prosecutors trained in handling such cases.

Over the last 25 years, our office has handled perhaps 150 cases arising out the Buena Park Police Station and brought in the Fullerton Courthouse. Such cases vary from DUI to solicitation of prostitution, to domestic violence, to public intoxication, to shoplifting.

Below is the Google Map to the Buena Park Police Department.