Reserve Deputies and Professional Services Responders were given a tour of Marine Operations on Wednesday.  The Marine Operations Reserve is looking for some new members and about 30 prospective volunteers showed up to hear what it takes to patrol the waters. Reserve Deputies briefed the potential volunteers on the facilities, equipment and craft used by the Department to patrol three harbors and 43-miles of coastline.

Reserve Captain Jay Wasserman was interviewed by Mari Frank on KUCI Radio.

To listen to the broadcast click the icons below.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors today ratified and extended for 14 days the April 30, 2009 proclamation by the Chair of the Board, declaring a local emergency resulting from Swine Flu. The Orange County Health Care Agency will provide updates allowing the Board to determine any continuing need for emergency action on May 19, 2009 and every 14 days thereafter. 

Supporting the Health Care Agency is the Department's Emergency Management Bureau. 

Bureau Manager Donna Boston said the Department's role is to focus on information-sharing with Operational Area partners, made up of 114 government entities and jurisdictions in the county. 

Emergency Management staff has been working diligently on resource support and coordination, including the dissemination of the Strategic National Stockpile of pharmaceuticals and support medications.

Emergency Management staff is on conference calls daily with the California Emergency Management Agency, the Health Care Agency, and the Orange County Emergency Management Organization to ensure that situation updates, health guidance, and situation forecasts are shared with all agencies involved in preserving public health and safety.

Emergency Management is using the WebEOC software to enhance information-sharing with jurisdictions.

There have been numerous releases of information on the Swine Flu emergency. 

To see the latest Center for Disease Control Fact Sheet click: CDC FACT SHEET.pdf (54.89 kb)

Recent information from the Orange County Health Care Agency click: For HRL PHNs - Screening Testing Directive 5-4-09.pdf (27.06 kb)

Advice on publicized precautions click: Face Masks Tamiflu.pdf (63.05 kb)

Health Care Agency Update click: HCA Influenza A _H1N1_ Update #7 5 04 09b.pdf (19.24 kb)

California Department of Public Health health alert click: Health Alert 050409-health alert.pdf (633.64 kb)

Five of the Department's top Sergeants have been temporarily promoted to Lieutenant. The reason for the temporary promotions is due to the uncertainty of the Department's budget. It is the Department's desire to make the promotions permanent in the near future.

Lieutenant Robert Wren joined the department in June 1986 and served in Dana Point Police Services prior to his most recent assignement as the Command Staff's Administrative Aide.

Lieutenant Sheryl Dubsky joined the Department in April 1986 and served South Operations and Laguna Hills Police Services prior to her being appointed to lead the School Mobile Assessment and Response Team.

Lieutenant James England joined the Department in April 1984 and worked North Investigations, Professional Standards Division and IRC before heading the Department's Sex Crimes/Child Abuse Unit.     

Lieutenant Andrew Ferguson joined the Department in July 1993 and worked Laguna Niguel Police Services before heading General Investigations for South Operations.

Lieutenant Timothy Moy worked Narcotics South and the Theo Lacy Facility before heading the Deparment's Economic Crimes Unit.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently issued a press release about the importance of Regional Fusion Centers to national security.  

To read the FBI's latest press statement on "FUSION CENTERS; Unifying Intelligence to Protect Americans" click here.

To read an earlier story about the OCIAC on Department Blog click here: 

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department participates in this program through the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center, based at Loma Ridge.  Several members of the OCIAC recently took part the National Fusion Center Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.  Here is some of the information they brought back:

During 10 – 12 March 2009, several members of the OCIAC attended the National Fusion Center Conference in Kansas City, Mo.  This training conference was hosted and funded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and offered a wide variety of training sessions. 

A nationwide perspective on the Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative (SAR) provided an overview of the nationwide effort to promote the sharing of terrorism-related information at all levels of government.  Panelists focused on identifying their agencies’ roles within the Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative, and illustrated how federal partners are working together with state and local agencies to make the gathering, documenting, processing, analyzing, and sharing of terrorism-related information better. It also provided a clearer understanding of the federal agencies’ role and responsibilities within the Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative, and its ability to incorporate local agencies’ individual SAR processes into a nationwide capability to share terrorism-related SAR information.  More...

Exact numbers aside, the Department had a large turnout for Wednesday’s visit by President Barack Obama to the Orange County Fairgrounds.

The detail, under the command of Captain Brian Wilkerson, was ready for any contingency but for those attending the event all they saw were some deputies standing by to help out if needed.  Part of the detail had been at the Fairgrounds almost around the clock since word came in on Sunday that the President was expected.

The Secret Service was the lead agency for the President’s security but the Sheriff’s Department had responsibility for the Fairgrounds and was ready to back up the Secret Service if needed. 

On the line there was only a handful of deputies in sight in case they were needed. A few vendors hawked Obama memorabilia to those on the line, a couple of thousand in number.  Volunteers unaffiliated with the Department gave those waiting advice, like their handbag was too large or that they needed to have picture identification matching the name on their ticket.

The line snaked slowly toward the security stations at the entrance to the exhibit hall where the Town Hall Meeting was to take place.  If you got on line at 1:45 p.m., it was an hour and ten minute wait in the hot sun.

Once inside the seats near the front were taken by a selected group of government and elected officials as well as invited guests who were seated up front on risers around the President’s podium.  Those in wheelchairs sat at the very front.

Those in the general public section included Orange County CEO Tom Mauk, OCEA president Nick Bernardino and Republican pollster Adam Probolsky.
Dozens of people took pictures of one another in front of the empty podium as they waited for the President to arrive.

The only real disturbance at the event came during the invocation by Rabbi Arnold Rachlis, of University Synagogue.

In the middle of it came a noise that nearly drowned out his spiritual offerings. It was the sound of the fleet of helicopters bringing the President to the Fairgrounds from Long Beach Airport.

When President Obama entered the hall that chant began.

O BAM A

O BAM A

He took to the podium and did the waves, wave to the right, wave to the left.

“Thank you, thank you,” he said. “Thank you so much.”

He introduced the elected officials and political leaders attending the Town Hall.

He then spoke for about 15-minutes, his words recorded faithfully by the scores of news reporters, print, broadcast and online. Television and still cameras rolled with every syllable the President uttered.

He talked about the nation’s financial crisis, immigration reform and the need to address the unemployment crisis; California one of the hardest hit states with a 10 percent unemployment rate.

He informed the crowed that the economic stimulus package will bring a new hospital to Camp Pendleton and 30 more police officers to the City of Hawthorne. For Orange County, tens of millions of dollars will be poured into improving the 91 Freeway.

Shedding his suit jacket, the President took questions. Hundreds of hands went up.

Camera flash devices went off constantly.

He spent about 45 minutes answering questions.

Those asking questions needed jobs and relief from creditors. There were concerns about how the country will recover and whether taxes will be fairer in the future.

Obama took each question and gave detailed answers, including many details that drew cheers from the crowd.

When he had answered his last question, he stepped down and shook hands with those he could reach. The crowd around him was denser than a New York City Subway crowd at rush hour.

You could only tell where he was by the cameras and cellphone cameras held high in the air. They formed a circle around the President. 

He circled the crowd around the podium and when he got to the exit, the chant rang out:

“One more time.”

“One more time.”

He shook hands for another minute or two and gave a wave to the crowd before he was whisked out of the hall.

Rancho Santa Margarita (RSM) Police Services Deputy Robert Thompson received a thank you letter from RSM resident Esmeralda Marquez for his thoughtfulness after he took a theft report from her residence during October 2008. Mrs. Marquez explained that her garage was broken into and all her children's Christmas gifts were taken. Her letter reads in part, "Needless to say this was devastating for us. Being a single mother of two and with today's economy, times are difficult. My kids were sad (they knew their gifts were in the garage) and they understood that I was not going to be able to replace their gifts. We were lucky to have you as the officer who responded to my call. Even though our belongings were not recovered, two months later my children received a police car, one for each. Both my kids and I are extremely thankful for your thoughtfulness. They had a gift for Christmas!"

 On January 3, 2009, Lieutenant J Passalaqua received a letter of commendation for Deputy Ryan Root. Mrs. Lyn Townsend wrote, "On February 1, 2009, I met a wonderful representative for the Sheriff's Department. His name is R. Root." Deputy Root had arrived when Mrs. Townsend's husband had passed away from natural causes. She stated Sheriff Root was very professional. He explained everything that had to be done and made sure I understood. He is a very caring and understanding person. I wish to thank him for being there for me and my family.

Sheriff's Special Officer Ernesto Ochoa of Airport Operations received a commendation from Deputy Airport Director Scott Hagen and Captain Dennis DeMaio. On October 23, 2008, an intoxicated female drove her vehicle through a perimeter fence, across both runways and headed toward the ramp where the commercial aircraft were parked. Officer Ochoa was on foot and attempted to intercept the vehicle by running alongside the car and ordering the driver to stop. After several repeated verbal commands to get the driver to stop, Officer Ochoa realized the severity of the situation and drew his duty weapon at which time the driver complied.

Scott Hagen wrote, "Officer Ochoa's awareness and decisive actions prevented what could have easily become a dangerous and damaging situation. Officer Ochoa displayed quick thinking, restraint and discipline while dealing with this potentially threatening situation."

Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair briefed Congress today on the security threats facing our nation. While he said the deepening economic crisis presents a new layer of threat to our nation, the face of terrorism is also changing.

To read his complete presentation click here.   

Also this week, FRI Director Robert Mueller gave a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington in which he described the changing face of terrorism from Mumbai to Somalia.

To see his presentation click here.

The Orange County Register is reporting that a terrorist response readiness drill is scheduled for this week at the Navy Weapons Station in Seal Beach, adjacent to Sunset Beach which is patrolled by the Sheriff's Department. The Sheriff's Department is also responsible for patrolling all Orange County waterways.

The story said in part:

Naval Weapons Station plans drill on threat response

Anaheim Bay may be closed to private boats during Seal Beach drill, expected between Monday and Feb. 27.

By JAIMEE LYNN FLETCHER
The Orange County Register

SEAL BEACH – The Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station will take part in a nationwide training drill to prepare for potential threats to the base, which could include responding to terrorist activity, officials announced today.

The exercise is expected to take place sometime between Monday and Feb. 27; however, times and exact dates are unknown, said base spokesman Gregg Smith.

Residents may see increased security activity around the base and traffic may be heavy in the area. Access to the base could also be delayed; however, personnel are going to try to keep daily functions as normal as possible, Smith said.

To read the Register story click here.

This is a report from Reserve Deputies Scott Klappenback and Jim Wharrie, who with their K-9 partners Roan and Mona augment the Department’s K-9 coverage, especially in the City of Lake Forest.

Reserve Deputy Scott Klappenback & K-9 Roan

Reserve Deputy Jim Wharrie & K-9 Mona

The 2 reserve teams, Reserve Deputy Scott Klappenback & K-9 Roan and Reserve Deputy Jim Wharrie & K-9 Mona have been assigned to the City of Lake Forest for the past 5 years. The two reserve K-9 teams provided patrol and narcotics K-9 coverage on every Friday and Saturday night throughout 2008. 

The statistics outlined below summarize the 2 Reserve K-9 Teams collective accomplishments in 2008:

• 109 Patrol shifts completed (1,153 total patrol hours)
• Participated in over 832 hours of formal K-9 Section training, including monthly evaluations and annual narcotics certification
• Responded to 13 Off-Duty Call Outs for K-9 narcotics searches
• Conducted 6 K-9 demonstrations for the community
• During routine patrol responded to a total of 582 calls for service

Of the 582 total calls, 232 (40%) were K-9 narcotic detection or evidence search deployments with the following results:

* 70 (30%) resulted in a narcotic related arrest (cocaine, heroin, marijuana, methamphetamine, opium)
* 121 (52%) resulted in a narcotic “alert” without an “arrestable” quantity of narcotic present (confirmed residue, debris, paraphernalia or odor present)
* 35 (15%) resulted in no “alert” but significantly increased thoroughness of search while reducing the consumed search time for the patrol deputy
* 6 (3%) resulted in an unconfirmed alert (unable to substantiate presence of narcotics)

• The reserve teams conducted K-9 narcotics detection and evidence searches for Dana Point, Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, Rancho Santa Margarita , San Clemente , San Juan Capistrano, Stanton, North & South Investigations, GET, Narcotics Interdiction Unit, Garden Grove, Laguna Beach, DEA and California Highway Patrol

The conclusion of 2008 also marked a significant milestone for the 2 reserve K-9 teams. At the onset of this “trial” project we were each asked for a five year commitment to the K-9 team. We have now been deployed in patrol for 5 years working shifts every Friday and Saturday night in addition to K-9 demos, call outs, special assignments, K-9 section training and other reserve bureau obligations. After reviewing our years of cumulative records, the following highlights our combined contributions to the K-9 section, City of Lake Forest and the Sheriff’s Department:

• Completed over 544 patrol shifts (5,464 hours)
• Responded to more than 3,000 calls for service of which 808 (27%) were K-9 related deployments resulting in 280 narcotic related arrests in addition to recovered evidence from K-9 article searches (weapons & stolen property)
• Participated in 39 K-9 demonstrations for the community
• Completed over 5,499 hours of weekly K-9 section training, monthly evaluations and annual narcotics certification

Over five years ago we were offered a unique opportunity that level 1 reserve deputies in our department had not previously been able to participate in. We feel privileged to have been the first two afforded the chance to become members of the OCSD K-9 section and hope our results were worth the investment.  We want to thank all those who helped us along the way. We appreciate the continuing support and guidance we have received during the past 5 years from the entire OCSD K-9 section, Community Services Division, and the Sheriff Department’s personnel in the City of Lake Forest.

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.  

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.

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)

Letter from the Sheriff

SAFE: Strategy, Accountability, Focus and Evaluation

This week will mark our first Crime Control meeting, a preview of the upcoming SAFE forums that will be
conducted for the benefit of the department and those we serve.

Field Operations will be the first command to participate in a Crime Control meeting, which we hope will provide a
roadmap for problem solving within the command. We will focus on four principles:

1. Accurate and timely intelligence - how is this information being used by Command Staff?

2. Effective crime fighting tactics

3. Rapid deployment of resources

4. Relentless follow-up and assessment

As many of you know, a primary objective of the SAFE Program is to improve operations; ensure policy and procedures are being written
or updated as necessary; allow input from all levels of the organization; and identify systems that require modification to support the
SAFE Program. Some of these systems include use-of-force protocols and documentation, crime trends, employee activities, and resource
deployment.

This is an exciting time for the Department, a time to recognize the fine accomplishments of the past and to build on those to make
ourselves the premier Sheriff's Department in the nation.

SANDRA HUTCHENS
Sheriff-Coroner

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has just released its 2009 Facts and Figures Report. It gives lots of information about the FBI and it's current mission for Homeland Security, as well as the Bureau's fight against political corruption, white collar crime, drugs, organized crime and civil rights crimes.  

The report also contains information on the FBI staff, what kind of people they hire and the ethnic makeup of the FBI workforce.

Many of our Deputies and Investigators work closely with FBI.

To see the entire report click here. 

Left to right: Sgt. John Hollenbeck, Capt. Mark Billings, Dispatcher Kelli Sheridan, Lt. Erin Giudice, Sgt. Fritz von Rettberg, Sgt. Steve McCormick.

Homeland Security Division Captain Mark Billings presented Marine Operations Dispatcher Kelli Sheridan with a commendation for her role in saving the life of a drowning fisherman off Corona Del Mar on October 3rd. Others involved in the rescue were honored earlier; click here to see the Blog entry on Oct. 06 for details of the earlier commendations. Click here for the Blog entry on the rescue.  

Captain Billings praised her quick thinking and ability to keep calm under stressful circumstances, all of which allowed her to coordinate the deputies' response to that emergency.  The ceremony was also attended by the bureau's commander, Lt. Erin Giudice, and three sergeants.  

The Newport Harbor Patrol and Sergeant John Hollenbeck were recognized on Saturday at the American Cetacean Society Conference in Monterey. Deputy Joel Monroe said that the Harbor Patrol had helped to track sightings of bottlenose dolphins up.

Deputy Jason Middlekauff took a photograph of one dolphin (in the poster below) that was identified by markings as having been identified in San Diego Harbor as long as 20 years ago.

Veterans Day is more than a time to honor those who fought in battles of the World Wars, Korea and Vietnam.  For some sworn personnel and professional staff it is a day to remember recent brushes with hostile fire, days of challenge, hours of suffering and moments of terror experienced serving with the military in Iraq an Afghanistan.

"These men and women have long put their lives on the line to protect our communities and we are proud to honor them leaving their homes and families and putting themselves in harm's way to protect our country and our way of life," Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said. 

Eleven members of the Department are currently serving on active duty the the military. In the last two years, 23 have served extended tours of military service. Since 9/11, 93 Department members have gone on extended military leave. We wanted to list the names of all of the veterans but some felt that could endanger them because of the sensitivity of their assignments with the Department with the military. We honor without using their names and will rely on a few of them who spoke to us to give us some insight into the hardships they have faced defending our country.

Lieutenant Willie Moreno at Harbor Justice Center is one of those who has to go without one of his key staffers due to the needs of the nation. Deputy Pete Ada is serving with the Air National Guard.

“ He’s been with us here about three years. It’s hard to have him away but as a Marine veteran and a New York City hometown boy, I’m proud of him,” the lieutenant said.

“ 9/11 has real meaning for me,” Lieutenant Moreno said. “My daughter lives in New York and works in near the World Trade Center. For 17 hours we didn’t know where she was. I went to New York with (former) Sheriff Carona and we went to Ground Zero when it was still smoking.  I also found out that a friend I knew, an FBI agent I had met when I was an investigator in south county, had gone to work for the Port Authority. They provide security for the World Trade Center. He was killed in the attack.” More...

     Marine Operations Deputies J.C. Roberts and Tracy Sizemore were honored in a ceremony at the Newport Harbor station on November 6th.  Sheriff Sandra Hutchens presented the Deputies with their official commendations, earned for saving the life of a drowning fisherman off Corona Del Mar on October 3rd.  Dispatcher Keli Sheridan also received a commendation for her actions that day, although she was unable to attend.  The ceremony took place in the station’s conference room, packed full of Marine Operations staff members including bureau commander Lt. Erin Giudice, the Harbor Reserve unit, and representatives from local yacht clubs and businesses.  Sheriff Hutchens praised their dedication to duty and selfless actions in a dangerous situation in which a drowned fisherman was pulled from heavy surf and resuscitated by the two deputies.  Their actions were a perfect example of the outstanding performance of the staff of the Orange County Sheriff’s Marine Operations Bureau.

Left to Right: Deputy J.C. Roberts, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and Deputy Tracy Sizemore

For details on the rescue as reported in an earlier Department Blog entry, click here.

Recent training by the SWAT Team at a "Live Fire House" is the subject of a slideshow available for view. Go to the right side of the Blog page and scroll down to Flickr. Then click on the picture and enjoy the SWAT show.

Slide Show

It was an uneventful flight until Deputy Mike Russell turned Duke north from the county line and the radio broadcast that a bank robbery had just taken place almost immediately below at the Union Bank in the Ralph’s Supermarket in San Clemente.

Observer Deputy Don Dear grabbed the craft’s high powered gyro- stabilized binoculars and scanned  below for any sign of suspicious activity. Deputy Russell banked the helicopter into a tight circle around the shopping center where the holdup took place. 

“Suspect is wearing black shorts and carrying a black bag,” the radio reports.

“There’s a man running to the bushes,” Deputy Russell announced.

Deputy Dear checked the man out through the binoculars but the running man was wearing white pants, had no bag and was not the same race as the suspect.  It appears to be a jogging trail that this man is running on. He’s not their man.

A more detailed description came across the radio. The aircrew checks every likely hiding place where a bank robber might hide but to no avail.

(To read more about the Air Support Unit click here.)

“I wish we had a car description, and then we could be of some real use,” Deputy Dear remarks. More...

The County of Orange is participating in the statewide Golden Guardian 2008 exercise.  The scenario for the exercise focuses on a 7.8 magnitude earthquake originating near the Salton Sea, which would have the potential to devastate the region.  This exercise will be the largest ever to take place in the country and through a partnership with a public education campaign called The Great Southern California ShakeOut, will involve the participation of millions of California residents.  While the State and local jurisdictions exercise emergency plans for earthquake response, businesses, schools and households throughout the southland will be conducting their own drills and programs to educate themselves on how to prepare for a catastrophic earthquake.  The Golden Guardian and ShakeOut exercises are designated to complement each other and maximize community preparedness at every level.

ShakeOut is One-of-a-Kind
The Great Southern California ShakeOut is a week of special events featuring the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history, organized to inspire Southern Californians to get ready for big earthquakes, and to prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes.  At 10 a.m. on November 13, 2008, millions of southern Californians will “Drop, Cover, and Hold On.” Why? An
enormous earthquake is an inevitable part of our future, and the ShakeOut Drill is our chance to practice what to do when it happens. Individuals, families, businesses, schools and organizations will join firefighters, police officers, and other emergency responders in our largest ever earthquake preparedness activity. Don’t miss out!

In addition to the ShakeOut Drill, there are many other ways to participate in the ShakeOut, tailored for businesses, schools, individuals, places of worship, and communities. Plus you can create your own event for your neighborhood, business or school. See the ShakeOut website for a schedule of all events. http://www.shakeout.org/

The Department Challenge
The Emergency Management Bureau is challenging every Division within our Department to take time out to plan and participate. This may be one of the few drills available before the “Big One”.

Every Division should use this time to ensure their emergency plans and employee preparedness is in order.
Here is the recommendation for complete Department participation:

• At 10 a.m. on November 13th - ALL OCSD Employees use Drop – Cover – Hold On position for 3 minutes.
• Pre-designate which management will inspect their division
o At start of drill to ensure participation
o At end of drill
• After drill, e-mail survey to gather employee thoughts, reflections and suggestions and look on how to improve.

You Can Make a Difference!
In addition, the entire community is invited to participate both individuals and families can Drop, Cover and Hold On.

Participate in the ShakeOut:
•  Register at www.ShakeOut.org/register to be counted in
the ShakeOut Drill, get email updates, and more.
•  Have a Drop, Cover, and Hold On drill at 10 a.m. on
November 13 and practice your earthquake plan.
•  Practice what else you will do during and after an
earthquake at home, work, or school.

If anyone has questions or need further preparedness information, please contact the Emergency Management Bureau 714-628-7054 and visit our website at www.ocgov.com/eoc

There were 150 students in the Anatomy and Physiology Classes at Newport Harbor High School but only room for 38 to take a tour of the Orange County Coroner’s Facility during Wednesday’s OpenHouse.

“There was a lot of competition, everybody wanted to go,” said teacher Karin Chaney, who accompanied the youngsters on the tour.

Why do teenagers want to tour a Coroner’s Facility?

“CSI, they all watch CSI,” offered one of the parents chaperoning the Newport Harbor group.

Supervising Deputy Coroner Mitch Sigal greeted the class and advised that they all needed to visit the restroom business was necessary and shut down their cellphones before starting the 90-minute tour.

The first stop was a mobile biological, chemical and nuclear decontamination station.  Coroner’s Chief Training Officer Richard Rodriguez explained to the teens how bodies had to first be decontaminated during an attack by weapons of mass destruction.  It provides cover like a tent and has a row of wheels set up to roll a gurney at waist level for the decontamination and examination. Decontamination is primarily by water sprayed over the body and captured in a reservoir, The tent looks like it’s lined in water lines and nozzles.  Once decontaminated the bodies need to be examined for evidence that could lead to the apprehension of the terrorists who used the weapon.

The youngsters are already still asking questions as they are led to a display of the protective suits and equipment used by Coroner personnel in the event of attack by weapons of mass destruction. More...

Sheriff Sandra Hutchens gave her 120-day report to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, with her Command Staff outlining for the Supervisors the specifics of changes and plans that have been undertaken since she was sworn into office.

The PowerPoint presentation that was given the the board follows:

State of the Department - Oct 7 2008.pptx.swf (2.75 mb) 

For the Orange County Register's story on the Sheriff appearing before the Board of Supervisors click here.

Sheriff Hutchens held a press briefing on her presentation to the Board of Supervisors.

For the Orange County Register's story on the briefing click here. 

For the Los Angeles Times story on her briefing click here. 

The Orange County Police Canine Assocation will have it's annual benefit show on Saturday, Oct. 11 starting at 6 p.m. The show is at Glover Stadium at La Palma Park,  1151 N Anaheim Blvd., in Anaheim. 

The organization's Website said this about the organization and the show:

The OCPCA is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization comprised of law enforcement K-9 handlers who are dedicated to receiving the most current and highest quality training available.  Training is a key factor that ensures the best possible service to the community.  The OCPCA was started in 1983 by several law enforcement canine handlers in an effort to share information about the training and use of canines in law enforcement.  As the OCPCA grew, they began to host an annual canine demonstration for the public that served as a fundraiser for the OCPCA.  

In the fall of each year, the OCPCA has continued the tradition of hosting their annual canine benefit show.  At the exciting family show, you can see K-9 teams perform obedience, agility, apprehension, handler protection, explosive and narcotic detection. 

Through the benefit show, the OCPCA raises funds which are donated to assist the families of fallen officers, provide medical care for retired police K-9s, assist police departments needing to replace retired K-9s, and provide further training for K-9 teams.

For more information on the organization and the show click here:

At about 0815 hours Sunday morning, Lieutenant Timothy Finneran was just exiting the Chino Valley Freeway when he was flagged down by a man and two children.

They pointed to a car that had gone off the exit ramp and rolled over and came to rest in a ravine at the bottom of a 15-foot slope.

“I observed a brown vehicle laying on its passenger side with a woman partially pinned underneath and inside the vehicle passenger side,” said Lieutenant Finneran, who was off duty at the time. Lieutenant Finneran, who heads the Homeland Security Grants Unit, said it was hard to describe just how the woman was positioned, he could see her face through the windshield and her legs were outside the passenger compartment and under the car.

“We had to get her out of there,” he said. Moving the car could be dangerous if there were other occupants. He checked the vehicle carefully. Two other cars had pulled over at the same time as he did, one with a Little League coach and a youth team football coach. One of the coaches was with his wife, a Registered Nurse.

The nurse stayed at the top of the ramp to call 911 for help.

Lieutenant Finneran and two of the men lifted the overturned car enough so that the fourth man could pull the victim out from under it. There was a fear that the car could fall back, overturning and possibly crushing the victim. To prevent it falling back onto the victim, it was pushed upright, all the way onto its wheels. More...