Group gambles on casino night to fund mobile command center for emergencies

Ed Finney believes the city deserves a state-of-the-art mobile command center ready for emergencies. But all the city has is a converted ambulance that's clearly insufficient to deal with crises such as hostage situations. Police Chief Joseph Molloy said. So, Fimiey and the Anaheim Police Officers Honorary's Association, a group of local business executives, have decided to do something to change it. They're coordinating a casino night, which will be held Sept. 25 at the Jolly Roger at 640 W. Katella! Ave. They know they're not going to raise the thousands of dollars it will take to equip the center with state-of-the-art equipment during a single casino night, Finney said. "If we were to make $4,000 or $5,000, we'd think we had died and gone to heaven," Finney said." But this is a start. We're hoping that we're pushing the council, the mayor and even businesses- ...We're hoping to make the city fathers feel a little guilty." During crisis situations, the converted ambulance has made police operations difficult. It doesn't ensure privacy and"difficult at best," Molloy said. The old ambulance will soon be exchanged for one of the city's used Bookmobiles, which will better serve the department's needs. But the police department still is counting on fund-raisers, such as the association's, to fill the gaps left by scanty city budgets, Molloy said. In the past, the association has provided funds for police officers' widows and orphans and awarded scholarships to police officers' children. "We're a group of businessmen who feel that police officers do a good job," Finney said. "I think it's a shame that a city this size doesn't have a state-of-the-art system."