For the second time this week Sheriff’s Deputies have apprehended a bank robber leaving the scene of one of his robberies.

The second one occurred this morning shortly after 9 a.m. when a man entered the Washington Mutual branch on Chapman Avenue in the unincorporated area of Orange. The man approached a teller, showed her a handgun and passed a note demanding a specific amount of money.

Photo of today's bank robbery arrest by Jen Bailey from Albertson’s Organized Retail Crime Division

A second teller was unaware the robbery was in progress but recognized the suspect as a serial bank robber whose photograph had been circulated by law enforcement. The second teller notified the manager, called 911 and triggered the bank robbery alarm.

Three Deputies at a traffic stop nearby got the call and arrived to find the suspect trying to start his getaway car.

The Deputies, Scott Steinle, Dave Smith, and Alex Montoya approached the suspect who fled from the car on foot. The Deputies gave chase and the suspect ran across Esplande Street and through a nearby car wash. He continued out in traffic on busy Chapman Avenue and ran into the side of a moving car. The Deputies then took him into custody.

The money from the robbery was recovered along with a loaded 38 caliber handgun. The man arrested is also suspected in four other bank robberies in Orange County and one in Riverside County. For details on the bank robbery apprehension earlier this week, click here to see the Blog story.

A 10-year sheriff's veteran, Murphy joined Aliso Viejo Police Services two years ago.
By KELLY TOKARSKI
For The Orange County Register
Comments 1| Recommend 2

Aliso Viejo Police Services Deputy David Murphy was honored this month for outstanding service to the city at the Annual Firefighters and Law Enforcement Appreciation Awards Dinner. The Jan. 17 dinner, hosted by the Mission Viejo/Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge, pays homage to police and fire personnel for "meritorious" service during the year.

To read the whole Orange County Register story click here.

This story out today from Associated Press comes just as the Department's issued its latest figures on the program of cross-designating a team of specially trained Deputies as Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents. The Department's ICE program is one of the most highly praised in the country and is used as a model by ICE when enlisting cooperation from other local agencies.

The Department is going into it's third year of the program, which screens those booked into the jail to determine if they are in the country legally. Those found to be here illegally are turned over to ICE for processing.

Here is the Associated Press story:

Homeland secretary wants criminal aliens out of US

By EILEEN SULLIVAN
Associated Press Writer 
 
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says if you're a criminal and you're not entitled to be in the United States, she wants you out of the country.

Napolitano wants what she calls "criminal aliens" off American streets. She is looking at existing immigration enforcement programs to see if taxpayers are getting the most bang for their buck.

To see the full story click here.

In 2008, the Department screened 63,146 inmates, interviewed 4,479, detained 3,839, including 2,315 held for felonies, 1,517 for misdemeanors, 4,262 males and 217 females.  

Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach issued this statement today about some of the accusations made in the wake of Sheriff Sandra Hutchens launching an investigation into the recording of material on the desks of two Supervisors by a security camera during the January 13, 2009 Board of Supervisors meetings.  

Supervisor Moorlach said: 

The following is a press release has been issued out of Canada on the success of Dreamlift Day, which featured a six-member team from Orange County including five members of the Department who traveled to the Okanagan Valley of Canada.

To see the Blog story on their trip click here. 

January 29, 2009
6:00 AM PST

The 15th Annual Wendy’s Dreamlift Day on Wednesday, January 28, 2009 raised  $89,878.26 from this one-day event!

All totalled over the last fifteen years, Wendy’s Dreamlift Day has raised an
accumulative total of over $785,955.61.   .                   

The total includes the gross profits, wages and salaries from all the staff, management and ownership of the nine Wendy’s Restaurants in Kamloops, Salmon Arm, Vernon, Kelowna, Westbank and Penticton.

The restaurants were assisted by volunteers from all walks of life.  They added to the fun of the day by changing from their usual jobs in their communities to something very different: preparing burgers & salads, making fries, cleaning trays and tables and all sorts of other behind the scenes tasks that helped make the day such a great success.

A special thank you to the Orange County Sheriff’s who helped make this such a special day: Lieutenant Mark Levy, Investigator Chris Dunn, Captain Dave Wilson, Deputy Scott Yuen, Investigator Gene Inouye. In addition, Richard Francis from the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU, SOME MORE DREAMS WILL COME TRUE!!!

The Los Angeles Times' Tami Abdollah reports on yesterday's Board meeting. Here are the key graphs:

...Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said she discovered the camera had zoomed in on Norby's notes and Supervisor Janet Nguyen's BlackBerry.

Hutchens, hired last year after her predecessor was indicted, said she alerted both supervisors, launched an internal investigation and informed Stephen Connolly at the Orange County Office of Independent Review so that he could monitor the investigation.

Here's the entire story:

Orange County Supervisor Chris Norby wants to bar the Sheriff's Department from handling security in the Hall of Administration after an investigator used a security camera to zoom in on Norby's notes and a colleague's BlackBerry messages during a board meeting.

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors asserted control over security in the board chambers and weighed whether to hire a private firm or a local police department to provide security in the Hall of Administration.

The issue stems from a Jan. 13 board meeting when the Sheriff's Department stepped up security because of community tensions over layoffs and the sheriff's highly publicized decision to revoke concealed weapons permits. The boardroom's security camera, typically operated by security guards, was handled by an investigator during the roughly four-hour meeting and primarily used to pan the audience for suspicious or unusual activity.

When a concealed weapons advocacy group filed a records request for the security tapes last week, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said she discovered the camera had zoomed in on Norby's notes and Supervisor Janet Nguyen's BlackBerry.

Hutchens, hired last year after her predecessor was indicted, said she alerted both supervisors, launched an internal investigation and informed Stephen Connolly at the Orange County Office of Independent Review so that he could monitor the investigation.

Norby and Nguyen were granted a chance to view the tapes, but expressed outrage when they were not given copies of the entire recording. Releasing the recordings would jeopardize the safety of undercover deputies at the meeting as well as pose other security risks to ongoing investigations, sheriff's spokesman John McDonald said.

"The sheriff was upset about the taping of what was on their desks," McDonald said. "We've offered all five members of the supervisors copies of those portions of the tapes that were upsetting to the sheriff. And that was accepted by some members of the supervisors and declined by some others."

At Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting, the supervisors unanimously approved additions to its rules and procedures that formally established its power over security measures within the board's chambers and affirmed its ownership of security recordings. According to the rule changes, these security recordings are "confidential and are not public," but can be made available to any board member upon request as long as it does not violate state law.

Norby also requested that the county examine contracting out the security for the Hall of Administration to a private firm or the Santa Ana Police Department. The county Civic Center is in Santa Ana.

County Chief Executive Officer Thomas Mauk said the building's security costs are about $800,000 a year. Mauk told the board he will report the full costs, possible savings and existing options for such a change.

"There's a price issue and there's a control issue," Norby said. "I'm sure we could save money and we'd also have more control.

"Right now," he said, "the sheriff has essentially said 'I'll do what I want, and what the board wants doesn't matter. And these security tapes are my property and I'm not going to give them to you'. Yet we know these security tapes include improper looking at the board, but we don't know what's on them because we can't see them. It's an odd confrontational tack to take. . . . I thought we'd be on the same side."

A suspected bank robber was taken into custody about 10 minutes after a holdup thanks to a good description of the bandit and an alert Deputy.

The robbery took place at about 2:20 p.m. at the First Bank, 25400 block of Rancho Niguel Rd., Laguna Niguel.

A suspect wearing a black or grey baseball hat, sunglasses, bright orange shirt and blue jeans approached a teller, said he had a gun and handed over a note demanding money.

He fled on a motorcycle.  An alert was broadcast with the description of the suspect, who donned a blue jacket and helmet that had been left on the motorcycle.

About 10 minutes later Deputy Adam Moore spotted the suspect while on patrol near the intersection of San Juan Creek Road and LaNovia Avenue in San Juan Capistrano. The suspect matched the description in the broadcast and Deputy Moore pulled the motorcycle to the side of the road. Additional units were called to the scene and items of evidence from the bank robbery were found.

A 36-year old resident of San Juan Capistrano was identified by a witness to the robbery. All of the money was recovered and the suspect was taken into custody. The FBI is investigating to determine if the suspect is linked to any other bank robberies.

There is still time to sign up for the "Battle of the Badges" Blood Drive.  For information contact Deputy Curtis Vincent at (714) 647-6063

Here is a message from Deputy Vincent:

I want to thank all those who have pre-registered for the “Battle of the Badges” Blood Drive.

We have 70 department members and family that have signed up so far. There are still spots available. If you have not had the opportunity or if you were waiting until it got closer to the date please look at the attached sign up list and pick out a time, and return it back to me.  

We are hoping to make this a huge success.

So Far LASO had 101 sign-ups and over 80 pints collected.

One agency turned the blood drive into a street fair in front of their station.  

We have door prizes;  Gas Cards, Gift Cards, Tickets to the LA KINGS vs. Calgary Flames, Certificates for the Ontario Reign Minor League Affiliate of the LA Kings for Glass Seats, Autograph Anaheim Duck Items.  There will even be an appearance by the Los Angeles Kings Mascot “Bailey”.  Again thank you to those who have pre-registered for Wednesday January 28, 2009.  

Sheriff Sandra Hutchens is in Washington, D.C. this week at the Joint Legislative Conference of the Major County Sheriff’s and Major Cities Chiefs Associations.

The Sheriff’s Association is made up of Sheriffs from around the country who serve counties with populations of more than 500,000.  The Chiefs Association has chiefs from the 64 largest police departments in the country. 

The Sheriff notified the Board of Supervisors on January 15 that she would be unable to make this week’s meeting of the Board due to her commitment to attend the Major County Sheriff’s Association. It is the second time since taking office in June that she has left the county on business.  In August, she traveled to Northern California for a meeting of the California State Sheriff’s Association.

In Washington, she will be meeting with the other Sheriffs on common issues, such as improving law enforcement strategies, identifying challenges to law enforcement and coordinating efforts to advocate legislative agendas.  The Major County Sheriff’s Association conference will allow Sheriff Hutchens to share ideas, concepts and resources with some of the highest profile law enforcement officials in the country.

The Sheriffs at the conference also had a joint meeting with Police Chiefs of Major Cities to discuss mutual problems and ways to help each other in such areas as battling drugs and violent crime.  The Chiefs and Sheriffs go as a group to meet with congressional leaders and also they have private meetings with the legislators to help further programs that they support.

While in Washington, Sheriff Hutchens scheduled meetings with U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein on initiatives to combat gangs and with U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez on economic strategies for law enforcement. She also meeting with Rep. Sanchez’s staff to discuss funding Orange County law enforcement programs and emergency operations. Sheriff Hutchens will also meet  Edmund M. “Ted” Sexton, Assistant Homeland Security Secretary for State and Local Law Enforcement.

One of the foremost goals of her trip is to explore new funding sources for the Department from federal programs that hold billions of dollars to support eligible programs.

The Governor's Office of Emergency Services and the City of Rancho Santa Margarita have both commended the Sheriff's Reserve Bureau Search and Rescue Unit for the October 2008 rescue of Sirpa Lee, who was injured and unable to get out of a hidden ravine for three days.

Reserve Captain Steve Riches (left) and Lieutenant Chuck Wilmot, Chief of Police Services for the City of Rancho Santa Margarita

Photo by Reserve Deputy Steve Sobodos

To see the commendation from the City of Rancho Santa Margarita click: RSM rescue commendation scan0001.pdf (69.13 kb)

To read the Blog story on the Sirpa Lee Rescue click here:

With temperatures in the low 20’s five members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and a representative from the Board of Supervisors will receive a very warm reception when they land in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada.

The purpose of the trip is to bring awareness to the families and friends of the Sunshine Dreams for Kids of the warm reception and care they will receive when they visit Disneyland later in the year.  Sunshine Dreams has been in existence 45 years. For more than 20 years the Orange County Sheriff’s Department has served as a host to this group.

Children from The Sunshine Dreams Foundation, which is the Canadian mirror of Make a Wish, come to Disneyland for a dream come true one-day adventure yearly.  Each year the critically ill children experience the thrill of Disneyland, all the while escorted by an employee of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department who has taken personal time to serve as their host for the day. 

This year’s ambassadors to Canada include Captain Dave Wilson, Lieutenant Mark Levy, Investigators Gene Inouye and Chris Dunn and Deputy Scott Yuen.  Rounding out the group will be a representative from the Board of Supervisors and staff aide to Supervisor John Moorlach.

The Department team is leaving Sunday from John Wayne Airport.  They will change planes in Seattle and board a plane so small they have to be seated in accordance with size to best keep the craft balanced while aloft. Once they arrive they will be met by representatives from The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, (RCMP) who will serve as their official guides for the trip.  The scenery in the Okanagan Valley will include lots of snow, vineyards and tall mountains. 

The valley has a smaller population than Orange County but likely has more hockey fans and you can’t find basketball game on the local television.  

The uniform of the day for our officers will be the Class A, in contrast to the beautiful red coats with fur hats worn by their escorts. The Orange County contingency will serve as goodwill ambassadors and help raise the funds to bring the children to Disneyland. 

The chain of Wendy’s Restaurants sponsoring the event hopes to raise enough money to bring at least 80 children and their support staff to Disneyland sometime later this year.  Once in Orange County their OCSD volunteers provide an adventure that challenges all involved to keep up with these children.

“Pushing a wheelchair all day can wear you out,” noted Captain Wilson.  “But the effort is well worth it once you see how these youngsters enjoy their day,” he added.

In December of 2008, the Sunshine Dreams for Kids Dreamlift brought 150 children and escorts for this once in lifetime adventure.

The group will fly out of John Wayne on Sunday, January 25th and return on Thursday, January 29th.  The cost for this trip is covered by the sponsor of the event, a chain of Wendy’s Restaurants. 

To see the Sunshine Foundation's Reasons for inviting representatives of the Orange County Sheriff's Department to the Okanagan Valley click: whyOCSD.pdf (82.45 kb)

On Thursday morning Sheriff Hutchens discussed blog reports that the Department had "spied" on two members of the Board of Supervisors with bloggers and news reporters.

She said that when she first learned that a security camera intended to monitor the audience at the January 13, 2009 meeting of the Board had focused on the Supervisors desks, she was more than surprised.

"I was concerned when I heard about this, I was upset," Sheriff Hutchens said.

She made it clear that the cameras were intended for security purposes.  She added that the recording was such that nothing written could be read on either Supervisor's desk.   

Sheriff Sandra Hutchens issued this statement this morning regarding the incident: 

This week, the Clerk of the Board and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Records and Information Services Division received a Public Records Request (PRA) from Ordinary California Citizens Concerned with Safety (OCCCWS) for security video from the Board of Supervisors Meeting held on January 13, 2009.

Tuesday night I was alerted to an incident on the approximately 4-hour video where the particular camera in question was being utilized to scan the boardroom and alert our personnel to any potential security concerns. The security camera was used to zoom in on Supervisor Nguyen’s blackberry for approximately thirty seconds and paperwork on Supervisor Norby’s desk for approximately one minute. I immediately ordered an internal investigation.

I also notified the Office of Independent Review and, in an effort to be completely transparent, I contacted Supervisor Norby and Supervisor Nguyen to alert them of this discovery.

The security measures put in place are intended to protect life and property, maintain order, and protect the public’s 1st Amendment rights.

Red County Blog has posted some of the Sheriff's comments and a podcast of part of her interview. To see and hear it click here.

The Reserve Bureau Inspection took place on January 10 and 209 of the Department's 232 Reserve Deputies turned out for the event.

Reserve Deputies help the Department with such duties as transporting arrestees for booking, working the Orange County Fair and other seasonal events, flying planes, staffing search and rescue operations and providing high tech skills when needed.  

The Sheriff's Department is currently recruiting for the Reserves and those interested are advised to contact the Community Services Division at (714) 566-2711 for information. The Department is also in need of civilian volunteers, Professional Services Responders. Those interested in the PSR program should also call (714) 566-2711.

Photos by Professional Services Responders George Ridley and Randy Frager

View the inspecton video below by Professional Service Responder Kyle Frager

The Sheriff’s Traffic Safety Programs  Coordinator Will Funk conducted a Teen Driving Forum for Parents last week at the Crown Valley Community Park in Laguna Niguel.

The forum was held to provide parents, who either have new young drivers or teens who will be learning to drive soon, with information on how to improve their teen’s abilities and reduce their risk of being involved in a traffic collision.

Most of the parents brought a teen or two with them to the Forum and discussion ranged from Myths about Seat Belts to the consequences of DUI; driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

He touched on such things as the commonly repeated falsehood that it’s better to be ejected from a vehicle in a crash.

To hear Coordinator Funk's Public Service Message on Teen Driving

Coordinator Funk introduced a 2002 study that showed 35 percent of fatalities were people who had been ejected from their vehicle.

Another bad tale: you don’t need seatbelts if you have an airbag.

Airbags are designed to be used in conjunction with seatbelts and a vehicle’s occupant risks a more serious injury if the car has an airbag and the occupant is not wearing a seatbelt.

And for those who claim they don’t want to risk drowning or burning to death in a crash because of a stuck seatbelt, he had this answer:  Relatively few die due to drowning or burning after a crash. You are less likely to be unconscious if wearing a seatbelt in an accident, and so will be more likely to be able to escape from a submerged or burning car.

They also covered Aggressive Driving.

Racing is a big problem, often in a parent’s high performance BMW, Mercedes or Porsche. More...

 SHERIFF-CORONER DEPARTMENT

       COUNTY OF ORANGE

           CALIFORNIA

550 NORTH FLOWER STREET – P.O. BOX 449

SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92702-0449

SANDRA HUTCHENS 

SHERIFF-CORONER

PRESS  RELEASE 

OCSD Statement-Carona Verdict

            The men and women of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department are relieved that the court proceedings have concluded. The charges served as a distraction to the outstanding work of the rank and file of this department. The department has initiated many changes; it is important that we all look toward the future.

The residents and businesses we serve can rest assured that we remain focused on our core values of integrity without compromise, service above self, professionalism in the performance of duty and vigilance in safeguarding our community.

For a report on the verdict in the case of former Sheriff Mike Carona click here for the Orange County Register and click here for the Los Angeles Times.                      

Marine Operations Arrests Suspected House Burglar 

It was a quiet afternoon on the waters of Newport Harbor Wednesday afternoon but Dispatcher Brian Stanley heard a lot of activity on the Newport Beach Police radio. There was a report of a house burglary and Newport units were sent to the scene.

He reported the call to two patrol units in the harbor, crewed by Marine Operations Deputies Jim Slikker, Josh Baugh and William Nelson. 

The Deputies set a course for the scene of the reported burglary and they found they were the first law enforcement unit on the scene. Even more significant, they found an individual attempting to break into a boat, possibility to escape the land-based police units just arriving.

The Marine Operations Deputies confronted the man and place him under arrest. He was turned over to Newport Beach police. Newport Beach held him on suspicion of residential burglary and boat burglary.

The suspect was identified as Urbina Alberto Ever, 25, a deliveryman from Santa Ana. He was booked into the Orange County Jail and held on $50,000 bail. 

Lake Forest Graffiti Suppression Task Force Makes Its Mark
 
In July, 2008, Deputy John Mora, Deputy Ashraf Abdelmuti, and Deputy Dallas Hennessey were given a special assignment to locate and identify “taggers” in the City of Lake Forest.

Graffiti and its constant clean-up costs were having an enormous impact in the City of Lake Forest. Although incidents of graffiti have remained somewhat constant over the past eight years, the cost to remove graffiti or repair property damage caused by graffiti increased substantially.  For example, the cost to remove graffiti has reached almost $10,000 a month, up from just several thousand dollars a month two years ago.

Between July 2008 and December 2008 the Graffiti Suppression Task Force has successfully arrested 35 graffiti vandals. Through their investigations they have cleared 77 cases of graffiti totaling 10 felony counts and 67 misdemeanor counts of vandalism. The Graffiti Suppression Task Force has also served seven search warrants on suspected taggers which led to the discovery of an entire collection of “piece art” books and a roll call binder of two tagging crews in Lake Forest and Mission Viejo.

In October 2008, Deputies John Mora and Ashraf Abdelmuti were recognized by the City of Lake Forest for their dedication and intuitive investigation resulting in one of the largest and most successful graffiti investigations in Sheriff’s Department history.

O.C. Sheriff Sandra Hutchens: 'Let's move on'

Hutchens addresses ethical issues and county jail policies this morning at Fountain Valley Mayor Breakfast.

By JAIMEE LYNN FLETCHER
The Orange County Register

FOUNTAIN VALLEY– After more than a year of scrutiny and questions about the ethical structure and efficiency of the Orange County Sheriff's Department, it is time to move on.

That's the message Sheriff Sandra Hutchens conveyed to about 80 people this morning at the Mayor's Breakfast at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital.

"Some people are still stuck in the past but I'm not looking backward," she said.

To read the whole story click here.

Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Department Preparations for the Tuesday January 13, 2009 Board of Supervisors Meeting -- From Assistant Sheriff Mike Hillmann, Field Operations Command

In preparation for the meeting, information from several sources was brought to the attention of the Sheriff's Department regarding potential for recently laid-off Orange County employees, numerous individuals representing "The Carrying Concealed Weapons" issues and the "Open Carry Firearms" groups who wished to attend the Board of Supervisors Meeting.  These groups were expected to engage in a First Amendment protected activity in front of the Hall of Administration and/or inside during the Board meeting.  The OCSD carefully evaluated all the information and gave great weight to a balanced approach of protection of First Amendment Rights and that of public safety.  In that endeavor, signage was posted in the lobby of the Board indicating that no firearms would be allowed inside during the public meeting with the exception of law enforcement.  Additionally, selected areas were designated for persons wishing to demonstrate outside and Deputies assigned to liaison with them; and an Incident Action Plan was prepared outlining that Deputies would be both in plain clothes and in uniform to monitor activities.  Deputies were directed to be vigilant in monitoring those individuals who, based on reasonable suspicion, appeared to possess a firearm, and to politely inquire if they were carrying a firearm; if this were the case they would be asked to return to their vehicle and secure their weapon (loaded or unloaded).  If an individual carried a firearm, undetected into the Board Room, several plain clothes Deputies were positioned inside and directed to monitor and respond to such an occurrence.  The deployment of both plain clothes and uniform Deputies was done as a measure to balance public safety with First Amendment protection.

In addition, deputies were provided with authority information regarding the First Amendment, California Penal Code and the Orange County Board of Supervisors, rules of Procedure.  

No incidents of individuals carrying any firearm inside the Board meeting were disclosed. During the meeting however, three subjects were contacted by Deputies.  One subject was contacted by a Deputy in uniform who inquired if armed. The subject stated no and was allowed to continue inside.  The second subject was carrying a blue bag left in one of the seats in his row.  A plain clothes Deputy inquired of the subject if any weapons were inside.  The subject stated no and no further action was taken.  The third subject had a bulge on his left side and was asked by a female plain clothes Deputy if he had a weapon.  The subject, who was seated at the time, lifted his shirt and demonstrated he had a cellular telephone.  The subject was allowed to remain seated and no further action was taken. No ancillary groups appeared who wished to engage in First Amendment activity outside the Board meeting. 

The City of Mission Viejo said this about Deputy Brad Blakely:

Deputy Brad Blakely, a 20-year Orange County Sheriff’s veteran, has been named Mission Viejo’s 2008 Deputy of the Year.
Blakely has been assigned to the City of Mission Viejo for nearly a decade.  His strong work ethic and commitment to the City has earned him the respect of his peers, supervisors and community members.

Blakely, who currently serves the City as a motor deputy, is an expert in the traffic field has worked numerous assignments during his tenure including uniformed patrol; administrative deputy; and Major Accident Reconstruction Team (MART).

Blakely is a well-rounded deputy with vast experience, which has been vital in numerous investigations and complex field situations.  Recently, Blakely was asked to produce a comprehensive traffic/driving safety video for teens and new drivers in the community.  With assistance from peers, Mission Viejo High School students and personnel from Mission Viejo Television, Blakely produced an outstanding video. The video will undoubtedly be instrumental in communicating the message of safe driving to young drivers in the community.  Blakely is also an instructor in the “Parent Project,” a comprehensive 10-week instruction course for parents who are experiencing difficulty with their children at home. 

“Brad has an outstanding attitude and will do whatever he is asked with 100 percent effort,” said Lt. Steve Bernardi, chief of Police Services.  “Brad has most definitely been instrumental in making Mission Viejo one of the safest communities in the country.  He is most deserving of the recognition as 2008 Deputy of the Year for the City of Mission Viejo.”

Sheriff Sandra Hutchens reported to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that she has adopted some suggestions made by Board members and the public by adding new circumstances to the "good cause" standard in the Department's Concealed Carry Weapons permit policy.

The changes are the addition of these two definitions of "good cause."

• Good cause could include, but not be limited to, documented instances of threats to the personal safety of the applicant, his/her family or employees. Threats to personal safety may be verbal or demonstrated through actual harm committed in the place of work, neighborhood or regular routes of travel for business. The applicants should articulate the threat as it applies personally to the applicant, his/her family or employees. Non-specific, general concerns about personal safety are insufficient.

• The finding of good cause should recognize that individuals may also face threats to their safety by virtue of their profession, business or status and by virtue of their ability to readily access materials that if forcibly taken would be a danger to society. Threats should be articulated by the applicant by virtue of his/her circumstances.

To read the Department's CCW policy, click: CCW Policy - BOS 011309 - revise.pdf (882.59 kb)

For more information on the Department's CCW policy, click here.

 This report is from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

There were no Orange County Sheriff's Department Deputies Killed in the line of duty in 2008. To see the online memorial to those members of our Department who have made the ultimate sacrifice click here.

For the Memorial Fund's Bulletin click: 2008_endyear_report_FinalUpdate.pdf (986.01 kb)

NUMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS KILLED
IN THE UNITED STATES FALLS SHARPLY IN 2008

Dramatic reversal from 2007; fewest officers killed by gunfire in 50 years; record number of female officers die this year
 
Washington, DC – 2008 is ending as one of the safest years for U.S. law enforcement in decades. The number of officers killed in the line of duty fell sharply this year when compared with 2007, and officers killed by gunfire reached a 50-year low.

Based on analysis of preliminary data, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) and Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) found that 140 officers have died in the line of duty so far this year. That is 23 percent lower than the 2007 figure of 181, and represents one of the lowest years for officer fatalities since the mid-1960s. 

This year’s reduction includes a steep, 40 percent drop in the number of officers who were shot and killed, from 68 in 2007 to 41 in 2008. The last time firearms-related fatalities were this low was 1956, when there were 35 such deaths. The 2008 figure is 74 percent lower than the total for 1973, when a near-record high 156 law enforcement officers were shot and killed. 

“2007 was a wake-up call for law enforcement in our country, and law enforcement executives, officers, associations and trainers clearly heeded the call, with a renewed emphasis on officer safety training, equipment and procedures,” said NLEOMF Chairman and CEO Craig W. Floyd. “The reduction in firearms-related deaths is especially stunning, given the tremendous firepower possessed by so many criminals today. The fact that law enforcement has been able to drive down the crime rate, and do so with increased efficiency and safety, is a testament to the hard work and professionalism of our officers,” Mr. Floyd added.

“Concerns of Police Survivors is pleased to see the reduction in officer deaths for 2008 and hope this is a trend we will see year after year. But we also know that for each of the surviving families and co-workers, their one officer is one too many,” said C.O.P.S. National President Jennifer Thacker. “These families, co-workers and agencies are struggling to cope with life without their officer and will need support from C.O.P.S. before, during and long after National Police Week. C.O.P.S. will continue its efforts to provide life rebuilding support and resources for 2008 surviving families and affected co-workers, as well as past year survivors to help them rebuild their shattered lives. We will embrace these families and affected co-workers and assure them there is no fee to join C.O.P.S., for the price paid is already too high,” she said.

-- more --
 
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths Fall Sharply in 2008
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In 2008, for the 11th year in a row, more law enforcement officers, 71, died in traffic-related incidents than from gunfire or any other single cause of death. Mirroring the nationwide drop in traffic fatalities among the general public this year, the number of officers killed in traffic incidents was down 14 percent from 2007. Last year, a record high 83 officers died on our roadways. Of this year’s traffic-related fatalities, 44 officers died in automobile crashes, 10 died in motorcycles crashes and 17 were struck and killed by other vehicles.

Among other causes of death, 17 officers succumbed to job-related physical illnesses, three died in aircraft accidents, two were fatally stabbed, two died in bomb-related incidents, and one each was beaten to death, drowned, accidentally electrocuted and died in a train accident.

Fifteen of the officers killed this year were women, equaling the all-time high set in 2002. 2008 marked the first time that more than 10 percent of the officers who died in a year were female. Among all officers killed in 2008, the average age was 40 and the officers had served an average of 12 years in law enforcement.

Texas, for the second year in a row, experienced the most law enforcement officer fatalities, although the state’s 2008 total of 14 was down from 22 in 2007. California had 12 officer fatalities, followed by Florida and Pennsylvania, with eight each. Four of the eight Pennsylvania officers to die this year were members of the Philadelphia Police Department, which experienced the most deaths of any agency. Thirty-five states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands lost officers in 2008. Eight officers serving with federal law enforcement agencies also died this year, down from 17 in 2007.

Mr. Floyd cited a number of reasons for the sharp decline in officer fatalities this year: 1) better training and equipment, plus a realization among officers that “every assignment is potentially life-threatening, no matter how routine or benign it might seem;” 2) increased use of less-lethal weaponry, including TASER stun guns, which allow officers to apprehend resisting violent offenders with less chance of assault or injury; 3) more officers wearing bullet-resistant vests—over the past 20 years, vests have saved more than 3,000 law enforcement lives; 4) a downturn in violent crime—the Department of Justice reported that violent crime is at its lowest level since 1973; and 5) a tougher criminal justice system, with a record 2.3 million offenders in correctional facilities nationwide.

The statistics released by the NLEOMF and C.O.P.S. are preliminary and do not represent a final or complete list of individual officers who will be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in 2009. The report, “Law Enforcement Officer Deaths, Preliminary 2008 Report,” is available at http://www.nleomf.org/. For information on the programs that Concerns of Police Survivors offers to the surviving families of America’s fallen law enforcement officers, visit http://www.nationalcops.org/.

A recent letter received from a Colorado woman thanked Airport Operations Training Deputy Lionel Luna for helping her daughter. In her words, this is some of what she had to say:

He saved the day.

He was better than Santa

He saved Christmas for my little girl

To see the entire letter click: Thank you Deputy Luna001 (2).pdf (29.63 kb)