On Sunday, January 22, 2012, a travel team of amputee war veterans hit the softball field in Mission Viejo. The Wounded Warrior softball team travels the country taking on able-bodied challengers to show how injured war veterans return to normal life.

The OC First Responders team included Deputies Peter Kim, Travis Krudwig and Robert Pribnow and were coached by Sergeant Jack Songer. Former Los Angeles Angels Anaheim pitcher Justin Speier played for the OC First Responders, as did members of the Fire Authority, Control One and Armed Forces Veterans.

Numerous news agencies reported from the game, including KCAL's Stephanie Abrams, who said, “Who won??? Not vitally important.... That the game was played.......Priceless.”

The Wounded Warriors team is already booked solid for the rest of the year. The money raised Sunday will help them with travel and other expenses. The ultimate goal is to provide stipends for the players so they can pursue college or other career goals.    

Pictured are Angels Pitcher Justin Speier, US Navy Corpsman Daniel Jacobs, Sergeant Jack Songer, Deputy Robert Pribnow, Los Angeles Dodger pitcher Roy Gleason, US Marine Joshua Wege, Deputy Peter Kim and Deputy Travis Krudwig.  

Taffy was born on April 8, 2000 in Thetford Mines, Quebec Canada.   Twelve weeks later she was flown to Orange County, California to meet her new partner, Orange County Sheriff’s Department Reserve Doug Williams.  Taffy would soon join the highly regarded Orange County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue Unit, which is made up entirely of Reserve Deputies.   After a distinguished ten year career, Taffy was the first bloodhound to retire from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue Unit on June 30, 2010.

During Taffy’s 10 year career with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue Unit, she had 13 confirmed walk-up finds, plus numerous other trails where she gave valuable information that led to the suspects and their arrest.    Taffy worked over 125 documented cases with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue Unit.   She searched for over 50 lost persons, worked 12 homicides, 13 armed robberies, one kidnapping and four rapes.   She also worked numerous arsons, burglaries, stolen vehicles and other felonies.   Taffy’s handler testified in two homicide trials, based on Taffy’s work, resulting in the conviction of both suspects.

Taffy and Doug received numerous awards in their 10 years of service together.   They received the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Gold Star Award, California Gold Star Award, Larry Peabody Search and Rescue Award.  The Meritorious Service Award from the American Bloodhound Club, Achievement of Canine Excellence was also received.  Taffy was chosen as the American Kennel Club 2008 Search and Rescue Dog of the Year.   Taffy was also a great ambassador for the department in her tenure, doing about 100 Officer Friendly events and other public relation events.   Taffy enjoyed the public and especially children.

Even after retirement, Taffy continued to live with Doug and his wife Debbie until her unfortunate passing on January 13, 2012.    

“Irvine Blades” Girls’ Soccer Coach Charged With Coercing 13-Year Old into Sending Him Pornographic Videos 

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office put out a press release today regarding the arrest of Robert Vincent PEACE; a girls’ recreational soccer coach for the Irvine Blades.  The DA's Office filed charges against PEACE for meeting a 13-year old girl in an online chat room and coercing her into sending him sexually explicit videos of herself. PEACE, a resident of Lake Forest, was also charged with possessing nearly 2,000 child pornography images and videos.  The DA's Press Release can be viewed at:  http://orangecountyda.com/home/index.asp?page=8&recordid=2810&returnurl=index%2Easp%3Fpage%3D8

The case was investigated by the Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force (OCCETF).  The primary mission of OCCETF is to identify and arrest child predators operating in the county.  The task force is comprised of members from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and the Huntington Beach Police Department. OCCETF encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through ICE's toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a Task Force partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.

The escape of inmate worker William Scott Woodin from the Theo Lacy Facility on Tuesday evening was followed by an intensive search and ultimate capture of the non-violent thief by Sheriff's investigators.

Captured escapee William Scott Woodin

The Orange County Register has the story: 

Inmate captured about 24 hours after he escaped

An inmate who escaped from county jail was found in Lake Forest on Thursday night and taken back into custody, Sheriff's Department officials said.

William Scott Woodin was arrested after a brief foot pursuit near Vintage Park, a little more than 24 hours after authorities say he broke a window in a jail kitchen and escaped from Theo Lacy jail in Orange.

A one-time Newport Beach resident, Woodin, 39, was arrested by Irvine officers Oct. 23 after authorities say he tried to steal a watch from a Nordstrom store.

According to court records, Woodin pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of petty theft and giving a false name to police.

Since he was not convicted of a violent crime, Woodin was assigned to a work detail in the jail's kitchen, said Jim Amormino, a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

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To see the complete press release click: OTS Grant 010312.pdf (29.94 kb)

This interesting video was posted by the Lane County District Attorney in Oregon. It was brought to the attention of the Blog by Lieutenant Jim Rudy and Sergeant Matthew Barr.

"The link is to a 17 minute video titled “Hollywood vs. Reality:  Officer-Involved Shootings” by the Oregon DOJ and dispels many of the myths the public has about OIS," Sgt. Barr said. 

To view the video, click the icon below: 

On December 16th, 2011, nineteen investigators and deputy sheriffs completed OCSD Basic SWAT School #1 at the Katella Training Facility. The graduates are members of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team, the Hazardous Devices Squad, and the Sheriff’s K-9 unit.

Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and Commander Don Barnes presented each of the graduates with their Certificates of Completion.

The two week course consisted of in-depth classroom instruction, including basic SWAT duties and responsibilities, tactical considerations when dealing with critical incidents, practical application scenarios, and firearms training. The OCSD Basic SWAT course is the first POST certified “SWAT School” offered by an Orange County law enforcement agency.

The class was taught by members of the OCSD SWAT Team and subject matter experts from outside the department. Members of HDS and K-9 were included in the class because SWAT, HDS, and K-9 regularly work together to safely resolve critical incidents. The goal is to achieve the seamless integration of these disciplines during a tactical operation. The graduates of OCSD Basic SWAT School #1 are well on their way to achieving that goal. 

Here are some photos of SWAT in action: