The Department’s new Website became operational today, the product of more than a year of work by an Information Systems team and a private vendor.
Much of the work involved moving content from the old pages to the new pages, said Information Systems Technician Tina Winterburn.

To view the new Website click here.

All of the pages were redesigned and the page itself was made more comprehensive and user friendly.

The design was intended to breathe new life into the Website.  Instead of parked motorcycles such as were displayed on the old Website, the new Website features motorcycles in action.

New features are also available on the new Website, such as a pathway for those involved in auto accidents to obtain accident reports online.

The new Website also features an in improved Memorial Page to the Department’s Fallen Deputies.

In addition, all the information from the old Website, some of which was several years  old, was updated to make it current.
Department personnel who worked on the new page included:

Joseph Giese –Sheriff’s Special Officer II:  He was responsible for graphics.  He designed all of the banners as well as the Fallen Officers page. 

Ramin Aminloo – Web Designer/Programmer:  Ramin worked with the vendor on all the programming involved with the e-services.  He also designed the online incident report request feature.

Mike Ziccardi – Programmer:  He assisted Ramin with all the e-services programming.

Joseph Grose – Sheriff’s Cadet:  He worked primarily on cleaning up the old content and verifying that all the data was moved over from the old site to the new site.

Karen McDaniel/Tina Winterburn:  Project Managers for the new website.  Coordinated with the entire group above as well as the vendor (VPI.net) on every aspect of the project.

Nat Hoang – OCSD Webmaster:  Maintained the old site and supported above staff in bringing up the new site.

Biggest Challenge:  Getting the vendor to understand and bring to life our vision for the new site. 

Ray Botta will provide a police presence and serve as a youth mentor.

LAGUNA HILLS – A new school year generally brings new faces. For Laguna Hills High School, it also means the arrival of the campus' first school resource officer.

Ray Botta – the new "campus cop" – will provide a police presence and serve as a youth mentor.

To read the full story click here.

The summer edition of Sheriff Magazine, a publication of the National Sheriff's Association features a story by Lt. Lynn Nehring. Lt. Nehring is just completing an assignment as administrative lieutenant and adjutant to Department Undersheriff John Scott.

His story begins: 

When we hear the word leadership, what words or ideas come to mind? Could it be one text book definition of, “influencing human behavior to accomplish organizational goals”? Do such words come to mind as: 1) integrity, 2) competence, 3) enthusiasm, and 4) vision; which are considered some of the most important qualities according to many leadership surveys. Or do we reflect on anyone of the 23 leadership principles from the behavioral science theories?

To read the article click: National Sheriffs' Leadership Article.pdf (858.95 kb)

Sheriff Sandra Hutchens along with officials of the Orange County Transportation Authority and the City of Stanton briefed the press on Monday on a new tool being used in the fight against graffiti.

The Department press relase follows.

To read the Orange County Register's news story click here.  

For many people, graffiti’s presence suggests the government’s failure to protect citizens and property and control lawbreakers. There are huge public costs associated with graffiti; an estimated $12 billion a year is spent cleaning up graffiti in the United States. Graffiti contributes to lost revenue associated with reduced ridership on transit systems, reduced retail sales and declines in property value. In addition, graffiti generates the perception of blight and heightens fear of gang activity.

U.S. Department of Justice report on Graffiti, August 2004

Tracking Automated and Graffiti Reporting System (TAGRS )

TAGRS is used to store and track graffiti incidents. It is designed to help law enforcement identify and prosecute graffiti suspects.

Data is received from two main sources. City graffiti abatement teams use a cellular telephone outfitted with a camera and equipped with a Global Positioning System to record a picture, location and data of graffiti and the cost of removal. Once the data is recorded, the abatement crews clean up the graffiti. Data is also obtained from crime reports. Law enforcement uses the database to help identify graffiti vandals by name, moniker and gang or tagging crew. Once a vandal is identified the data base is used to determine if that individual committed other graffiti crimes and for the possibilities for cities to seek restitution.  Graffiti data and photos can be compared for similarities to link known taggers to other defacements in the system.

The beauty of the system is that it allows for data sharing between law enforcement officers throughout the county. The city of LaMirada has also joined and other cities in Los Angeles County are considering joining the network. The data sharing makes it more likely that law enforcement officers can put together comprehensive cases against taggers who strike widespread areas without regard to city lines. 

TAGRS is now available to all cities in Orange County and interest in participation has come from several cities outside of the county.

TAGRS has already become a useful tool in the campaign against graffiti. Even in this early stage of deployment, TAGRS has been responsible for solving dozens of cases of graffiti related crimes. The recent law to make parents pay to clean the property defaced by their children, coupled with innovation like TAGRS gives law enforcement hope that graffiti will soon be removed as a crime that appears to go  unpunished. 

The system was developed by Department personnel, including computer programmer Ramin Aminloo, with assistance from Sergeant Dan Elsner of Stanton Police Services and Deputies Dave Beeler and John Murray of the Orange County Transportation Authority.                            

Sheriff Sandra Hutchens announced today that Mr. Lee McCown will serve as a consultant to the Department reviewing critical department policies, developing new policies, if needed, and helping create a system to track employee accountability.  

Mr. McCown brings and extensive background in Risk Management and offers a critical “outside” perspective to our operation. He has already begun reviewing our policy manuals and suggesting ways we can reduce risk and liabilities without diminishing the level of service we provide to the public. He performed a similar assessment at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, where he was able to reduce lawsuits by 35 percent – which translated to a significant savings to taxpayers.  

Mr. McCown also works with American Homeland Solutions, a law enforcement training institution based in Anaheim.  To see the biography of Mr. McCown posted on the AHS Website click here.

Letter from the Sheriff

The Office of Independent Review: Now Open for Business

Stephen J. Connolly began his new role this week as the Executive Director of the new Office of Independent Review. His work will assist us in becoming the premier law enforcement agency in the nation.

I had contact with Mr. Connolly when I was a chief with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Mr. Connolly was a staff lawyer for that Department’s Office of Independent Review. Whether he was monitoring a disciplinary investigation undertaken by my command or reviewing a Department-wide policy change, I was always impressed by Mr. Connolly’s commitment to law enforcement. We did not always agree but when we disagreed we aired our views candidly and each helped the other to do a better job.

Mr. Connolly is moving into the Brad Gates Building and he intends to spend his first weeks on the job familiarizing himself with the Department, our policies and our personnel.  I have granted him unlimited access to the Department facilities. I encourage all of you to welcome Mr. Connolly and help him get to know our Department and the important work we do for the public. First impressions are always important. I ask that you welcome Mr. Connolly into our operation as we work together to make our great Department even better.

SANDRA HUTCHENS

Sheriff-Coroner

The Orange County Law Enforcement Explorer Advisor Association (OCLEEAA) sponsored the 2008 Summer Explorer Academy at the Camp Pendleton Marine Base, from August 17th through August 21st.   The Explorer Academy simulates an abbreviated basic law enforcement academy. 139 Explorers, from throughout Orange and Los Angeles Counties, began the academy and 114 successfully graduated! Orange County Sheriff’s Department Explorer Post 449 was strongly represented and proudly saw 18 Explorers graduate at the OCSD Regional Training Facility, on August 21st. Assistant Sheriff Jack Anderson, Captain Brian Wilkerson, Lieutenant Tom Slayton, Post Coordinator Deputy Gary M. Smith, several Post 449 Advisors and many OCSD Explorers were present at the graduation. 

We would like to congratulate the following Explorers from Post 449 for a very impressive showing in special awards:

Best Overall Explorer    Male Physical Agility
Sean Taylor – 2nd Place   Sean Taylor – 1st Place
William Pereza – 4th Place    William Pereza – 3rd Place
Nick Lontajo -  5th Place   

Academics      Best Notebook
Robert Steiner – 1st Place    Nick Lontajo – 1st Place
Kavon Harvey – 3rd Place
Adam Hack – 4th Place   More...

Sergeant Michael Sharpe and the Air Support Bureau were recently commended by Federal Bureau of Investigations Special Agent Heather Watson for their assistance with a recent high profile criminal investigation. Agent Watson wrote, "Your cooperation was of immeasurable help. You can take pride in the role you played and the success achieved. My associates and I congratulate you on a job well done!"

Sheriff's Special Officer Charles Volkel of the Airport Operations Division was commended by John Wayne Airport's Deputy Airport Director Scott Hagen in the presence of Captain Dennis J. DeMaio for his efforts, which resulted in the identification and arrest of Grand Theft suspects. On May 8, 2008, Officer Volkel developed information from a confidential informant regarding the pending theft of airport property. Officer Volkel was also able to establish explicit details on how the theft was to occur. The culmination of Officer Volkel's efforts resulted in the identification, arrest and conviction of the suspects.

Deputy J. Porras of Laguna Woods Police Services and Deputy B. Gunsolley of Laguna Hills Police Services were recently commended by the Washington Mutual Bank for their assistance with an irate customer. The bank stated the deputies responded quickly, isolated the irate customer and made the other patrons feel safe to conduct their business. Both deputies remained professional and respectful even though they were verbally abused by the subject. Congratulations on a job well done!

Stephen J. Connolly is excited about his new job as Executive Director of the Office of Independent Review and said he plans to become a familiar face as an outsider within the Department. 

He said that his role has been confused in the arenas of politics and the press and that he sees his mandate as one of working to help the Department by ensuring the Department properly polices itself.

“I will not be conducting my own investigations. Our philosophy is that the Department in many ways is best suited to review and address critical allegations of misconduct,” he explained.
“I’ll have access to Department investigators and I will talk to Department decision makers,” he said. “I will have a front row seat, able to access files and determine the thoroughness of an investigation and the reasonableness of the resolution.”

Mr. Connolly, 44, was born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts and graduated from the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.  After college he did volunteer work with disadvantaged youngsters in the inner city sections of Syracuse and Brooklyn, New York. He married and moved to Long Beach in 1987.

He and his wife worked as teachers in a Catholic School and he obtained a Masters Degree in English Literature from UCI. The couple is raising three children: Two girls are aged 18 and 16 and their boy is 12. While working as a teacher and raising his family, Mr. Connolly spent four years attending night classes at Loyola University School of Law in Los Angeles.  He had harbored an interest in law since elementary school. One of his teachers was adjunct professor Michael Gennaco, a federal civil rights prosecutor who would later be named the first executive director of the Office of Independent Review for the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. More...