Professional Services Civilian Responders serve an important role in the Department but a California Attorney General opinion has made it clear: PSRs cannot keep their current badges, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said.
She made the statement at a meeting that drew more than 100 PSRs at the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy in Tustin.
“I understand what you do for us everyday, I am an admirer of your organization. Some of you are like full time employees,” Sheriff Hutchens said. She told the PSRs that the organization had been formed many years ago and was the subject of press and public controversy at its founding.
“It probably started as something not so good but it has evolved into something that is very good,” she said.
The badges that have been used in recent years by PSRs must be returned, she said. Her biggest concern is an opinion of the California Attorney General that the Department and the County may be held civilly liable a badge is misused. The opinion said in part: “A sheriff’s gift of an honorary badge to a private citizen violates California law if (1) the badge falsely purports to be authorized, or would deceive an ordinary reasonable person into believing that it is authorized, for use by a peace officer.” The current badge is very similar to badges used by Texas Rangers and U.S. Marshals, she said. More...