This photo was taken by Los Angeles Times photographer Karen Tapia-Andersen. Christian Berthelsen, Christine Hanley and Stuart Pfeifer contributed to this report:

In an interview, Anderson said he had launched what would become the largest internal affairs investigation in the history of his department. The investigation will likely involve interviews with dozens if not hundreds of current and former Theo Lacy employees, he said.

"I've given orders to find everybody identified in the grand jury report and move forward," he said. "I can't think of a lower standard they were acting at. This is clearly a case of supervisors not doing their jobs and deputies who felt it was OK to behave this way."

Click the photo to be taken to the Los Angeles Times story

The Register's Peggy Lowe and Tony Saavedra report:

The report opened a window into a jail system that is most often closed off to the public and the press, reporting that deputies didn't perform routine patrols of the jail barracks and instead focused on watching their favorite TV programs or used their cell phones to text friends.

The picture below was taken by Register photographer Michael Goulding. Click the picture to be taken to the Register story.

From Christian Berthelsen:

"The actions and behavior described within the grand jury report are the absolute antithesis of our responsibility to provide justice and safety to those we are sworn to protect," Anderson told the supervisors. "None of the reprehensible acts described in the grand jury transcripts will be tolerated or ignored."

He quoted a speech given by Capt. Dave Wilson, the new official in charge of Theo Lacy, to the guard staff there Monday: " 'We are in the business of telling the truth and acting professionally. Everything we do and say is open to public review.' "

Asked how far he would go in disciplining department staff who were found in violation, Anderson said: "I will take it as far as I can take it and termination will not be enough for me."

More right here.

The Register's Peggy Lowe reports: 

Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson has called in the FBI to investigate any possible civil rights violations within the county's jails -- a day after a grand jury report found a disgraceful jail system that is run by bullying inmates, lazy deputies and a command staff who tried to cover it all up.

Anderson told the Orange County Board of Supervisors today that he contacted the FBI on Monday, inviting the U.S. Justice Department in to "partner" with him on an internal investigation that has already been launched by an independent watchdog.

Six sheriff's personnel have already been placed on paid leave and more will be identified as he digests the grand jury report, Anderson said, who added that those people may ultimately face criminal charges.

"I will take it as far as I can take it," Anderson said. "Termination will not be enough for me."

Asked how many people will be reprimanded, Anderson replied, "It will be more than it took to carry Chamberlain's casket."

To the men and women of the Orange County Sheriff's Department: 

The department is currently undergoing an intensive internal review of the Grand Jury transcripts and the information contained therein. I ask each of you during this time of great scrutiny to continue to perform your duties professionally while the department conducts a thorough investigation involving various personnel matters.

Additionally, I ask each of you to read District Attorney Tony Rackauckas's Investigative Report from the 2007 Special Criminal Grand Jury. The full report can be found right here.

I will continue to keep you informed as our investigation progresses.

Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson gave brief remarks to the media today. Tomorrow morning he will address the Board of Supervisors.

Here's a rough transcript of his remarks to the media:

“I’d like to start by thanking the District Attorney and the Special Grand Jury for their work and the time they put into this investigation.

Just like the District Attorney, I am outraged by the actions of some members of this Department. Not all though. Remember this and I have to remind those who work every day that this is not representative of those who work hard every day and provide an ethical days work.

As you are aware, we only received this document today and we’re taking our time to go through it thoroughly so we can be accurate in our review of the investigation. However, let there be no mistake. I will take firm and appropriate action wherever necessary. 

I can assure the members of the public, the media and our Board of Supervisors that a new culture has arrived at the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, starting today. 

Tomorrow I will be speaking before the Board of Supervisors for what I believe will be a series of times I will speak keeping them apprised of what’s happening as we move forward in this investigation of our own on this matter.  I want to try to make this effort so we can reassure the public that they can have confidence in the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

The Acting Sheriff also answered a few questions. One member of the media asked if it was unfair to characterize any of our personnel as "lazy". Here's his repsonse:

"I am offended by what I read in this document. This is behavior that I’m not familiar with.  Coming up through the organization,  I worked with men and women who did an honest day’s work everyday and went home with pride knowing they made a difference in the community. What’s being revealed to me in these pages in regard to people being remiss and not doing their duty I find offensive .  I truly do. That’s why I’ll be moving forward with the investigation and take firm action regarding those actions.  I disapprove of those who were engaged in that type of behavior. 

Freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy and hope are all examples Sir Winston Churchill gave when he stated that “all great things are simple and many can be expressed in a single word.” Each of these words perfectly reflects our call to serve. Yet, what each of you does every day can hardly be defined as simple.

The 4,000 men and women who serve our department perform many diverse and challenging roles. Whether you are training, planning, investigating, negotiating, listening, teaching, supervising or leading, your work moves our department and our mission forward.

Continued success, however, is only achieved by holding ourselves to the highest standard. Our mission is meaningless if we don’t fulfill it responsibly and transparently, holding ourselves accountable to the community we serve.

It goes without saying that our department will continue to be scrutinized over the coming weeks. As the transcripts of the Special Grand Jury investigating the death of John Chamberlain are released Monday, we will be provided with many opportunities to reflect on our past, discuss the proactive measures we have undertaken, and candidly assess the strengths and weaknesses of our operation. Such self-reflection is never easy, but it is absolutely essential in order to maintain the confidence in and support for the services we provide.

In our 119-year history, through all the blood, sweat and tears, we have focused on the horizon with determination and the knowledge that we can learn from our past as we move confidently into the future.

I believe in the men and women of this great department and the freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy and hope you personify each and every day.

2007 Orange County Sheriff’s Explorer Banquet

On March 27, 2008, Orange County Sheriff’s Department Explorer Post 449 held its annual explorer recognition and awards dinner at the Irvine Hilton Hotel. Over 400 Explorers, their families and Sheriff’s personnel attended. The banquet is held to recognize the Sheriff’s Explorers for their hard work and dedication to Post 449, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and the residents of Orange County. The Banquet also honors those explorers who have gone above and beyond the normal duties of a Sheriff’s Explorer.   Lieutenant Tom Slayton (Director of the Explorer Program) was the Master of Ceremonies.  Assistant Sheriff Jack Anderson was the Keynote Speaker and presented the explorers with service-hour certificates and individual awards.  Assistant Sheriff Anderson also stood for photographs with each explorer in attendance.   In 2007, explorers from Post 449 volunteered more than 20,000 hours to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and to the residents of Orange County.  

The following Explorers and Advisor were recognized for outstanding achievement: More...

The following press release was just issued from our office: 

Inmate Jason Gomez, 35, of Anaheim died at about 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.

He had been involved in an incident on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at the Intake Release Center.  The incident is still under internal review by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office is investigating to determine if any criminal conduct was involved in the death.

The facts gathered by the Sheriff’s Department at this time indicate that an Orange County Health Care Agency mental health nurse’s arm was injured by inmate Gomez.  The inmate’s continued erratic behavior caused jail staff to enter his cell and a struggle ensued. Tasers were deployed. Several jail staff suffered minor injuries. Injuries to deputies included a bitten finger, bruising and blood exposure when the inmate spat at the deputies.

Gomez was restrained but later stopped breathing while awaiting the arrival of medical transportation. CPR was administered by jail medical staff and deputies. Paramedics were summoned and Gomez was rushed to a local hospital by ambulance. The extent of injury to the inmate was at first unclear and it was initially reported that he would survive. Further tests revealed more complications. His next of kin were notified last week.

On Friday, March 28, when it appeared that the inmate was in a life threatening condition, the District Attorney’s office was briefed and informed. The District Attorney, with the support of Sheriff’s investigators, then initiated an investigation into the incident.

On Tuesday April 1st, Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson placed several personnel on paid administrative leave, pending the Sheriff’s Department’s internal review of the incident. Administrative leave is not a disciplinary action and does not reflect any finding of wrongdoing.  The administrative review will continue during the Sheriff’s Department’s internal affairs investigation.

Mike Gennaco, executive director of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Office of independent review met on Monday with the Department’s officials to review what is known and what needs to be done in the probe.  Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson retained Gennaco to help review Department policies and procedures in the effort to prepare for the Office of Independent Review that is being formed in Orange County.

This is the first time that the Orange County Sheriff’s Department has included an outside monitor for an internal investigation.

The Sheriff’s Department will have no further comment, pending the outcome of the District Attorney’s investigation and the Sheriff’s internal review.

The freedom that makes our country the greatest in the world is faced with many challenges and Basic Academy Class 183 is ready to meet them.

That was the message delivered to peers, family and friends of the graduates by Class 183 President Zachary McCleb, a former Navy Lieutenant now sworn as the newest police officer in the City of Newport Beach.

“With freedom comes a great challenge, the divide between right and wrong, order and disorder,” Officer McCleb told the hundreds of family, friends and colleagues gathered for the graduation at the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy.

“In order to preserve these freedoms and protect domestic tranquility our communities rely on its peace officers. The challenge is there day in and day out.  Tonight I am here to tell you the 38 recruits you see before you are ready to take on these challenges.”

Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson encouraged the graduates to be compassionate to those they encounter.

“The men and women graduating tonight are the best  of the best ,” he said. “For the last 27 weeks, they have endured one of the most stressful and challenging law enforcement academies in the nation. More...

From the Register's Erika I. Ritchie:

The character, qualities and leadership skills that now make sheriff's Lt. Steve Bernardi "America's Top Cop" were already there when he started in law enforcement 33 years ago.

Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson – who worked for Bernardi in San Clemente – remembers how his onetime sergeant led by example rather than words.

Anderson got a call to take a collision report at a nearby gas station. When he arrived, Bernardi was standing near a car he'd hit. There was no damage and the car's driver didn't want a report, but Bernardi insisted Anderson take the report.

"He set the example," said Anderson. "No matter how miniscule something may be, he always does the right thing. Integrity should lead in decisions. He doesn't just say it, he does it. I'm not surprised this honor was bestowed on Steve."

Read it all right here.