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October 1, 2009 12:56 by John
This is the second year that Sandra Alsman of the Support Services Division collected cash donations and "pink" yogurt lids from personnel for The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Those who made contributions received "pink ribbon" pins and cookies (donated by: Cookies by Vicky). To help raise cancer awareness, division personnel had a "Passionately Pink" day on Friday, September 25, 2009.
To read the Orange County Register Story on the "Race for the Cure" click here.
August 15, 2009 09:47 by John
Friday, August 14, 2009
Sex cops see the worst
MORNING READ: Do investigators who fight child abuse shed a tear at home? Yeah, they do.
By GREG HARDESTY
The Orange County Register
First of two parts
Click here to read Day 2
STANTON The little girl cries.
For days the 8-year-old – small for her age, her long dark hair in braids – has not been sleeping or eating much.
Late at night, she finally breaks down and tells her mom why.
The call comes in just before midnight to investigators on the Orange County Sheriff's Department Special Victims Detail – cops who solve sex crimes, about half of them committed against children.
In the morning, county social workers are interviewing the Stanton girl.
By 3 p.m., the investigators – keeping their tactics secret – get the girl's 22-year-old uncle to reveal a horrible secret.
Photo of Sheriff's Investigators Jeff Brown and Sandra Longnecker by Orange County Register Photographer Diego James Robles
They plot his arrest.
For a unit that deals with the most savage and incomprehensible of crimes – from a 4-week-old Lake Forest boy sexually abused and beaten by his father, to an 83-year-old Holocaust survivor sexually assaulted and beaten in her Rossmoor home – the Stanton case almost could be called routine.
Imagine that.
•••
The mouse pad on investigator Jeff Brown's desk is worn nearly to tatters, but it shows the smiling faces of his three kids and their mother in a faded color photograph.
Family man.
Brown, his hair buzzed short, his body shaped by morning workouts at the gym, is father to twin girls, 10, and a son, 16.
He's been investigating sex crimes – a specialty that repulses most deputies – for nearly a decade.
He and his four investigative colleagues relish it.
To see the full story click here:
July 10, 2009 15:55 by John
Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens was the first public official to participate in an online question and answer session with readers of OCRegister.com. The Register reported that more than 1,200 people logged into the session and the Sheriff answered questions for over an hour. The Register hopes to make the question and answer session a regular feature of their online coverage.
Here is a sample question and below is a link the the full session.
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3:32
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[Comment From R Jones]
Are you still finding diffcult for you and your organization to gain the publics trust again, considering the past several years? What steps are you doing to try to gain our confidence and trust back? |
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3:33
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OC Sheriff: We restore and maintain our public trust by what we do each and every day. We hold our people accountable who do not live up to the faith and trust put in them by the people of this County. Both I and my command staff must set the example by the actions we take. Leadership starts at the top and must be ethical and consistent. I have spent a great deal of time in the community and have been told many residents they are confident in the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and are happy with the direction we are going. The men and women of this organization amaze me every day by their commitment, their professionalism, and their sense of duty. |
To view all of the questions and answers click here.
July 6, 2009 08:20 by John
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Sheriff's experience helps her learn political ropes
A year after taking office, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens talks about leading a department after predecessor's high-profile exit.
By KIMBERLY EDDS
The Orange County Register
A who's who of Orange County law enforcement turned out last summer to see Mark Yokoyama sworn in as Cypress police chief.
As the list of notables was read, one name was inadvertently left out.
No one mentioned Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, but there she was in her perfectly pressed green uniform – the newest member of the club.
Hutchens, just days into her term, smiled as the mistake was corrected. She gave a small wave and waited for the ceremony to begin.
That was the last time this sheriff would be overlooked.
With a matter-of-fact style, Hutchens has won allies and enemies. In just a year since she jogged up the steps of the Old County Courthouse to be sworn in as the county's 12th sheriff, she has made her mark. And not everyone likes what they see.
"If you stick to a position, you stand up in a firestorm and you don't bend, they will respect you for being ethical, for standing up for what's right," Hutchens says.
To read the full story click here.
July 4, 2009 08:46 by John
Updated July 6, 2009 at 1:50 p.m. with pictures by Department Photographer Jerry Manson.
The Orange County Register profile's Sgt. Mike Dunham, a hero of Lake Forest.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Sheriff's deputy to be grand marshal in July 4th parade
Sgt. Mike Dunham will retire in August after nearly 27 years with the department.
By ERIKA I. RITCHIE
The Orange County Register
LAKE FOREST One of Sgt. Mike Dunham's proudest moments as an Orange County Sheriff's deputy was when he saved the life of a 3-year-old girl.
Dunham, a nearly three-decade veteran of the Sheriff's Department, will be honored for his heroism and service in the city's Fourth of July parade Saturday. The event's theme is "American Pride: Heroes and Honor."
The 54-year-old has been with the department for nearly three decades and grew up in what used to be El Toro.
In August, Dunham will retire. He plans to spend his time continuing to teach young officers, restoring some antique cars, and riding his red Road King Harley-Davidson.
To read the rest of the Register story click here.
More of Jerry Manson's pictures:
July 3, 2009 08:17 by John
By Steve Spernak
OCTOA Executive Director and PSR
Congratulations and countless comments of appreciation continue to come in from all over California to the Orange County Traffic Officers Association who partnered with Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and her command staff in what is believed to be the largest law enforcement tribute for the four Oakland Police Officers lost on March 21st.
The highly successful “Cigar Night Classic” fundraiser for injured OC Motor Officers and the Oakland Police Officers Association was the culmination of five weeks of planning by The Orange County Traffic Officers Association. President and Orange County Sheriff's Deputy Brad Blakely helped organize a large contingent of OC Law Enforcement who attended the March funerals in Oakland attended by 21,000 peace officers.
Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, center, with John and Mary Huffman, parents of OCSD Sergeant Matthew Davis, killed in the line of duty on September 20, 2002
Photo by Professional Services Responder George Ridley
The Orange County Traffic Officers Association, including Blakely and Deputies Joe Cope and Thom Spratt, were dedicated to finding a way to assist the families of the four Oakland officers and officers here in Orange County who were killed or injured in the line of duty.
Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and her entire command staff, members of the Board of Supervisors, city mayors, judges, Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters, CHP Commanders, Council members, Deputy DA’s and local business owners supported the effort.
Among the backers was a bi-partisan team of local legislators, including Assembly members Jose Solorio, Van Tran, Jim Silva, Curt Hagman, Jeff Miller, Chuck Devore, Mike Duvall and State Senators Lou Correa, Bob Huff and Tom Harman as well as U.S. Representative John Campbell.
Others who showed support were the Choirboys (retired police motorcyclists) and Oakland Assemblywoman ASM Sandre Swanson, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and California Attorney General Jerry Brown.
Special congratulations went to OC Sheriff Sandra Hutchens who won not only the ‘Chief’s Challenge’ as highest donor, but won over the 1,000 attendees with her appearance at the fundraiser. Hutchens was joined by Assistant Sheriffs Mike James, Mike Hillman, and Jack Anderson and several OCSD Lieutenants at the Traffic Officers reception and graciously accomodated photos and handshakes from well-wishers, including Judge Lance Ito.
Mike Harrah, owner of Original Mikes Restaurant, who hosted the entire event, hospitality, staffing and food stations, was recognized at the formal presentation by Deputy Bradley Blakely who presented Harrah a signed and framed Litho of the Association’s artwork.
The centerpiece of the night’s event was the tearful address Oakland Police Officer Andy Luty offered on the incredible lives, loves and living of Officer John Hege, and Sgts. Dan Sakai, Erv Romans and Mark Dunakin.
Chris Dunakin, brother of Sgt. Mark Dunakin, was joined by his parents and family, and gave a rendering eulogy and grateful thanks to the family of law enforcement who will help the 9 orphans left behind in Oakland.
Dunakin was joined by Oakland Officers Andy Luty, Jim Gordon and Jim Fisher in lighting the ‘eternal flame’ candlelight vigil in front of framed photos of the Officers.
Blakely presented each member of the Oakland Police Department with litho artwork, signed by the Association Board, as well as Chris Dunakin and his parents who attended and were introduced in front of the 1000 + attendees inside Original Mikes for the formal program.
Pictures of the four Oakland officers killed in the line of duty this year
Brad Blakely closed the night's program with special recognition to Tonight Show host Jay Leno, who donated $5000.00 in support of the event. Unfortunately, Leno was unable to attend at the last minute due to scheduling conflicts.
Donors can still send in any amount to honor the Oakland Officers and injured OC Motors by going to their website at OCTOA.org , to see the photo collage and check the opportunity to be sponsors next year.
The OCTOA “Cigar Night Classic”, honoring heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice, helped bring closure to the Oakland Officers and their families and overwhelmingly showcased the caring and closeness of the OC Cops, electeds and community that help make this “legacy event” a classic in OC law enforcement history.
June 22, 2009 14:13 by John
The Orange County Register reported on Sheriff Sandra Hutchens' report on her first year in office.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Sheriff Hutchens says she has made progress remaking department
Sandra Hutchens is also expected to discuss reform at county jails.
By KIMBERLY EDDS and SALVADOR HERNANDEZ
The Orange County Register
SANTA ANA – Marking one year since she was appointed, Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said today that her administration has made “significant progress” toward overhauling a department marred by scandals of accusations of corruption, violence in the jails and allegations of a “code of silence” among its ranks.
Appointed the county’s 12th sheriff by a divided Board of Supervisors, Hutchens described herself as a “change agent” and promised to change the culture of the Sheriff's Department.
Surrounded by her command staff and a group of reporters, Hutchens in a matter-of-fact fashion laid out her promises of increased accountability, improved community relations and transparency, and the steps she and her 3,600-member department have taken to turn those promises into reality.
The work to improve will continue despite significant budgetary concerns that could result in laying off investigators 911 call takers, and eliminating some county crime lab services.
To view the complete coverage by the Register click here.
June 21, 2009 09:43 by John
Earlier this week Board of Supervisors Chair Pat Bates wrote a commentary piece in the Orange County Register saying that the county budget crisis will force massive cuts in the Sheriff's Department. Sheriff Sandra Hutches wrote a reply, published today in the Orange County Register's Opinon section, spelling out the measures the Department has taken to reduce costs and a plan for bringing federal revenue to the county to help keep public safety services at the level needed in Orange County.
Here is the rebuttal as it was published.
Reader Rebuttal: county budget
Reader Rebuttal to Chairwoman Pat Bates' column, "Delaying pain would hurt
more," Orange Grove, June 16, 2009
By SANDRA HUTCHENS
Orange County sheriff
The Orange County Board of Supervisors has taken many fiscally prudent steps
to address the growing budget challenges we have faced over the last year. I
commend them for their leadership. I would like to share some of what the
Sheriff's Department has done to address our budget shortfalls because,
while we still face a deficit, I am proud to say that we are poised to
finish this fiscal year about $20 million under budget.
Chairwoman Pat Bates' column in the Register ["Delaying pain would hurt
more," Orange Grove, June 16]states, "The Sheriff's Department is faced with
making $45 million in reductions." Our actual reductions add up to about $53
million when you include the $7.4 million in cuts that we are making and not
asking the county to restore. These cuts included eliminating hospital
security for outside agencies' arrestees, reducing maintenance of our
facilities, deferring equipment purchases, reduced helicopter flight time
and a reduction of 38 positions.
While we appreciate the board's restoration of $25 million, a number of
options have been suggested to close the $20 million gap that remains,
including eliminating vacant positions, reducing administrative nonsworn
staff, managing overtime, reducing vehicles and reducing overhead for our
contract cities - all of which we are already implementing.
Over the past year, we eliminated 67 vacant positions and cut 150 extra help
positions. We reduced overtime by 18 percent, cutting 6,000 hours of
overtime from each two-week pay period as compared with the previous year.
Additionally, we have closed 360 jail beds at the James A. Musick Facility
and, as we introduce the correctional services assistant (a civilian
classification) into our jails, we will further reduce the cost of managing
our jails.
The use of professional (nonsworn) staff is essential to our operation and
in most instances contributes a substantial cost saving when compared to
staffing the same position with a uniformed deputy. When you dial 911, your
call is answered by a nonsworn employee. The dispatcher who sends a deputy
to your aid is also nonsworn. Nonsworn personnel respond to crime scenes to
gather evidence, they staff the crime lab and the coroner's office, and they
analyze crime reports and manage the offices so our sworn personnel can be
out in our communities.
Administrative management represents 1.7 percent of our workforce. With the
addition of law enforcement management (captains and lieutenants) it's 3.5
percent - still lower than other county agencies.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that we utilize a variety of
volunteers to augment the great work of our deputies and civilian personnel.
Last year, our reserve deputies and professional service responders
performed work that would have cost the county $7 million.
I have proposed to the board that we take advantage of a recent decline in
our inmate population to enter into an agreement with Immigration and
Customs Enforcement to house ICE detainees for a fee. Revenue generated
would help us avoid significant cuts to our core services. On Tuesday, I
plan to again ask the Board to reconsider my request for $7 million to see
us through finalization of our agreement with ICE. As sheriff, it is my duty
to maintain public safety, and we cannot absorb cuts of this magnitude
without a significant impact on the superior quality of life we enjoy in
Orange County.
June 4, 2009 10:02 by John
The Orange County Register recently had a story about the Fountain Valley Police Department joining the regional T.A.G.R.S. network which was developed by the Sheriff's Department.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Fountain Valley police launch anti-graffiti technology
New automated tracking system keeps track of the vandalism, streamlines procedures.
By SARAH LOPEZ
FOR THE REGISTER
Fountain Valley has implemented a new technique to help combat graffiti.
The Police Department launched Tracking Automated Graffiti Reporting System (T.A.G.R.S.) on Wednesday. The County Sheriff's Department created the system to document, link graffiti to aid in investigations, and recover clean up costs.
When graffiti is reported, a city public works employee will respond to the scene with a special camera phone designed to document the location, photograph the vandalism and provide cleanup cost information. The information is sent automatically to the police-monitored T.A.G.R.S. database, which will serve as an investigative aid in graffiti crimes.
To view the full story click here:
To view the Department Blog coverage at the time T.A.G.R.S. began click here.
May 20, 2009 15:26 by John
The Orange County Register covered today's Orange County Peace Officers' Memorial Ceremony with a news story, a display of pictures and links to lots of interesting information. To see the coverage click here.
Among those who attended the candlelight vigil and the Orange County Peace Officers' Memorial Ceremony were survivors of Orange County Sheriff's Department Sergeant Matthew R. Davis, who on September 20, 2002 became the eighth and most recent member of Orange County Sheriff's Department to be killed in the line of duty.
His parents wrote a letter to their son and they shared it with Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and consented to it being published here.
Dear Dear Matt,We are back again to not only honor you but all your fellow officers who gave their life like you did.
This is our 6th year coming back since the 1st time we honored you on this wall. Each time we come our hearts break just like the 1st time.
Son we miss you with all our hearts. We know God is taking good care of you.
Love You Forever,
Dad & Mom
Below is a recent etching of Sergeant Davis' name taken from the National Law Enforcement Officers' Memorial in Washington, D.C.
May 12, 2009 12:57 by John
The Orange County Register today reported on the OIR report on complaints about Department security and communications at Board of Supervisors meetings.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Report: Sheriff's Department handled misdeeds appropriately
Office of Independent Review issues report backing up sheriff's handling of problems.
By NORBERTO SANTANA JR.
The Orange County Register
The county's Office of Independent Review, which monitors internal investigations within the Sheriff's Department, concluded that Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and her staff appropriately handled misdeeds rising from a series of controversial public hearings on gun permits.
During one hearing in November 2008, sheriff's command staff exchanged disparaging text messages about county supervisors and gun activists. At another hearing in January 2009, a sheriff's investigator used a surveillance camera to view county supervisors' notes. Critics also accused the sheriff of being overly aggressive with the heavy security presence at the meeting.
To read the full story click here.
May 4, 2009 12:42 by John
UPDATE with Link to story on reader kudos to Deputy Mora.
To see the comments click here.
Friday, May 1, 2009
He's the graffiti translator of South County
MORNING READ: John Mora has some special training for his job in Lake Forest.
By ERIKA I. RITCHIE
The Orange County Register
Early one night in 1995, John Mora and his father parked a truck on the narrow, dusty alley behind their modest home, then in Boyle Heights.
It was a hot evening, July, and the boy who would later become a key crime prevention expert in south Orange County, helped his father unload generators and power tools, cleaning what they had to clean after a long day at a construction site.
When they ended their task, Mora's father did what he usually did on a Friday night; he met up with his brother and walked to the neighborhood liquor store for a cold beer.
John, then 17, had his own plans. It was the summer before his senior year in high school and he was going to meet friends. He walked into the family house, where his mom was busy cooking dinner, kissed her cheek and walked to back of the house to take a shower.
As he took off his shirt, he heard gunshots. It was a common sound, but when the shots were followed by the sounds of women screaming and men shouting, he knew that this shooting was close.
Orange County Register Photo by Rod Veal
To see the full story click here.
March 17, 2009 16:51 by John
Confronted with murders and violent crimes committed by gang members who appeared to grow younger by the case, the Orange County Grand Jury launched a study of efforts by local law enforcement, including the Sheriff's Department, to divert youngsters from joining gangs. The Grand Jury applauded the efforts by Department personnel in Stanton, San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente, as well as the Departments School Mobile Assement and Resource Team (SMART), which intercedes to prevent violence at schools, and Intake Diversion program, which offers counseling to first time offenders.
The Sheriff's Department was among numerous local agencies, including the Orange County District Attorney, probation department, Anaheim Police Department and Pio Pico Collaboration, which works with at risk youngsters in the schools, to win the grand jury's praise.
To read the report click here:
To read the Orange County Register's story on the report click here:
January 29, 2009 10:02 by John
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 Sheriff has not refused to provide copies of the recordings from security cameras showing close-ups of two unsuspecting Supervisors as they participated in the January 13, 2009 Board meeting. I viewed a DVD, with the controversial one-and-one-half minutes, yesterday morning after receiving a copy from Undersheriff John Scott during Tuesday’s Board meeting. Two of my colleagues also accepted copies of this DVD. I also discussed the DVD at length with Assistant Sheriff Jack Anderson yesterday morning and am appreciative for the time he gave me on the matter. I declined to view the DVD of the entire meeting due to a lack of time. The DVD does show close-ups for about 90 seconds of Supervisor Nguyen and Supervisor Norby. In my view, it was grossly inappropriate and wrong for the deputy to do this. The security cameras are there to provide security to all those in attendance at the Board meetings, and focusing on close-ups of the Supervisors and what lies on the dais in front of them serves no such purpose. However, contrary to the strained hyperbole of some, Sheriff Hutchens did not authorize this activity, and was in fact appalled by it. She did the right thing--she personally called both Supervisors, and immediately ordered an internal affairs investigation, overseen by Stephen Connolly, the Executive Director of the Office of Independent Review, the civilian oversight office that my office worked so hard to create. Now, the Board and the Sheriff have taken steps to insure that this conduct does not reoccur. The cameras may not focus on us, but are to be used only for their intended purpose. The Board will have a greater say in planning for Board room security. And the Board has clarified that the Sheriff needs to make copies of all security camera recordings available to Board members, but noting that such recordings are confidential, are not public records, and may not be turned over if doing so would violate State law. It is time to stop making political hay out of what most likely was conduct that arose from the boredom of the camera operator, and not a sinister motive. Such an attitude does not move us toward the desired purpose of working together with the Sheriff to all do our jobs better for the citizens of the County.
January 6, 2009 11:53 by John
The Orange County Register reported this morning that testimony by Sheriff's forensic identification technician Sandy Abrams helped a judge order a trial for the defendant in the county's oldest cold case homicide case. There was no suspect in the case until a fingerprint from the decades old crime scene was matched by new technology to the defendant.
1964 murder case to go to trial
Oldest cold case homicide probe – at 44 years – in O.C. history to result in arrest and prosecution.
By LARRY WELBORN
The Orange County Register
SANTA ANA – A 68-year-old Phelan man sat in a wheelchair without emotion Monday as he was ordered to stand trial on a charge that he bludgeoned and strangled a Santa Ana hotel manager nearly a half-century ago.
Superior Court Judge John D. Conley ruled after a two-day preliminary hearing that there is sufficient evidence to try Charles Edward Faith Jr. for the Feb. 16, 1964, slaying of Christine Elizabeth Vono Wariner.
It is the oldest cold-case homicide investigation – at 44 years – in Orange County history to result in an arrest and prosecution.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Larry Yellin contends that Faith, who was not a suspect in 1964, was matched to the fingerprints on Wariner's hotel door through advances in forensic technology.
On Monday, Sandy Abrams, a forensic identification technician for the Orange County Sheriff's Department, testified that in February 2002 she matched two bloody fingerprints left on the door of Wariner's room to Faith.
To read the entire story click here.
December 31, 2008 11:24 by John
There is alot of bad news out there: from war in the Middle East to financial carnage on Wall Street stretching to Main Street and lots of other awful things we'd rather forget.
Here is our list of stories from 2008 that will make you glad you're with the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
10. Women’s Running Team Places First in Baker 2 Vegas Run, inspired by the untimely death of their coach, Retired Sheriff's Lieutenant Darrell “Guy” Poncy.
Click: Sheriffs-Womens-Team-is-Tops-at-Baker-2-Vegas-Run
Click: County-Supervisors-Honor-Departments-Womens-Running-Team
9. The Department Crime Lab Won Prestigious Accreditation and a special acclaim from the Department of Justice.
Click: Coveted Accreditation
Click: Justice Department Kudo
8. A search team made up of Deputies, Reserve Deputies and Professional Services Responders found a woman who had been missing for three days in Tijeras Creek.
Click: Searchers Find Woman in Tijeras Creek.
7. TAGRS Program developed by Department personnel helps nab Taggers across jurisidictions.
Click: TAGRS
6. Deputies Rescue Woman from Overpass
Click: Rescue
Click: Heroism Cited
5. Immigration and Customs Enforcement applauded Department for the Cross-Designation Program that helped prevent illegal immigrants jailed for crimes from returning to further victimize our community.
Click: ICE Credits OCSD Cross Designation Program
Click: ICE Cross Designation Program Thrives
Click: Five Deputies Join ICE Program
4. The Saddleback Presidential Forum was the first joint public appearance by Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama. It drew hundreds of protestors from both sides but the OCSD kept all peaceful and safe.
Click: Demonstration
3. Crime rates are lowest in cities policed by Sheriff’s Department.
Click: Sheriff's Jurisdiction Safer
2. Kidnap victim Ryan Ramos found safe In Juarez, Mexico after all-out effort by OCSD.
Click: Amber Alert for Kidnapped Boy
Click: Aero Squadron Pilot, OCSD investigators retrieve Kidnapped Boy
1. Sandra Hutchens sworn in as Orange County Sheriff
Click: Swearing in Video
Click: Hundreds Witness Swearing In
Click: OCSD Welcomes Sheriff Hutchens
December 19, 2008 09:15 by John
The Orange County Register reported on its Website Thursday on the resolution by the Board of Supervisors calling on Sheriff Sandra Hutchens not to revoke any Concealed Carry Weapons Permits issued by the previous administration.
Sheriff Hutchenshas said she believes that some of those permits were issued without good cause required by law. Some members of the Board of Supervisors have suggested that she use her discretion to leave all current permits in place.
From the Register Website:
Supervisors lobby sheriff on concealed weapons
Hutchens says she disagrees with supervisors and will let voters decide her fate in 2010
BY NORBERTO SANTANA JR.
The Orange County Register
Orange County supervisors this week abandoned their traditionally cautious approach and formally urged Sheriff Sandra Hutchens not to revoke any concealed gun permits.
Hutchens' response: "I think we're going to get to a point where we have to respectfully agree to disagree."
The fledgling sheriff triggered a firestorm earlier this year from gun activists when she announced that the sheriff's department would adopt a stricter approach toward handing out concealed weapons permits and would reevaluate the existing 1,100 licenses held across the county. Nearly 100 activists, including National Rifle Association attorneys, showed up last month at a county supervisors meeting, threatening to politically oppose Hutchens and any supervisors who backed her gun policies.
To read the entire story click here.
Sheriff Hutchens has temporarily ceased revocations pending discussion with the California Attorney General to ensure that it does not reflectly negatively in the state data base if a permit holder has his or her permit recalled as a result of the review.
In the story, Sheriff Hutchens said:
"I'll be prepared to discuss the issue in its entirety and have some resolution in January," she said in an interview this week.
December 7, 2008 12:09 by John
The Orange County Register today published Sheriff Sandra Hutchens' rebuttal to their editorial last week criticizing the Department for jail reform and the recently released Jail Audit.
This was her rebuttal:
Your editorial “Jail report: Spend more, reform nothing” provided a disservice to your readers and the community by misstating facts and giving the impression that the Orange County Sheriff’s Department used a jail audit to delay reform urged by the Orange County grand jury.
Reforms following the tragic murder of inmate John Chamberlain in October 2006 began even before the grand jury started looking into his death. That reform continues and has never been put on hold.
The jail audit was a top to bottom review of the county’s jail facilities and practices and policies of jail staff and administration.
The grand jury investigation brought to light some unprofessional practices that cannot be defended. None of the command staff responsible for those practices remain with the Sheriff’s Department. Jail commanders have been rotated and supervision within the jails has improved. There are more sergeants on the floor, we have computerized oversight of supervisor’s logs and enhanced video surveillance of both inmates and staff. Vulnerable inmates like John Chamberlain are now housed in a protected unit.
All of that was begun before the jail audit commenced and the effort continues on a daily basis.
My command staff and I have spent untold hours inspecting the jails and reviewing jail policies. We found a lot of problems but also a lot good practices worth keeping.
A 20-year study of in custody deaths in the seven Southern California counties showed that Orange County had the lowest death rate. Justice Department officials who inspected our facilities after Chamberlain’s death concluded, “the deputies we met were very professional, intelligent, and dedicated public servants who would be a credit to any organization.”
The consulting firm of Crout and Sida is one of the country’s foremost experts in corrections. Members of the firm spent over 1,000 hours examining every aspect of our jail system. They looked at the county jail system with a critical eye and made 115 recommendations for change.
Does that sound like they are recommending no reform?
Some of the recommendations provide savings but overall we have a need for more staff and improved facilities.
The price tag to implement the recommendations is something none of us want to hear in this time of cost cutting. Unfortunately it is true, we as a county need to spend money to fix our jails and run our system responsibly.
Your editorial calls for privatization of the jails to save money. While cities and the state are permitted to engage private firms to operate jails, a Sheriff under California law cannot. The Sheriff has a Constitutional requirement to operate the jails.
The use of non-sworn personnel to replace all deputies in the jail is another of your recommendations. Our jail deputies are mobilized in emergencies in Orange County. Many of the Deputies who helped evacuate homes in last month’s destructive wildfire work in the jails.
My comments to the board were minimized in your news reports. I do support and will initiate substantial civilianization of our jail staff but not at a level that would diminish our ability to respond to emergencies.
I am committed to jail reform and recognize the harsh truth presented by the Crout and Sida report.
Two years ago your paper took a hard look at the death of John Chamberlain. Perhaps it is time for your reporters to return to the story and see what changes have been undertaken since then. From the tone of your latest editorial, the change might surprise you.
October 23, 2008 10:04 by John
On October 24, 1988 Orange County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Tonkin died with seven other law enforcement officers when a helicopter crash during a drug fighting mission.
To see the Department's salute to Deputy Tonkin published in the Bulletin at the time click: tonkin.pdf (1.23 mb)
The Orange County Register published an account of the tragic event shortly after it happened.
Here is what the Register said:
8 officers killed in copter crash
Orange County deputy among group involved in a drug-fighting mission
October 25, 1988
Byline: James V. Grimaldi; Edward Humes
The Register
An Orange County Sheriff's deputy, three local National Guardsmen and four other law-enforcement officers were killed Monday night when an Army National Guard helicopter from Los Alamitos crashed during a drug-fighting mission near the Mexican border.
The UH-1 Huey transport Deputy Mark Steven Tonkin hit a power line while in low-level flight chasing a vehicle, crashed and burned about 9:30 p.m., said Phil Jordan, spokesman for the California National Guard.
The crash was in mountainous terrain near Ocotillo Wells, about 35 miles west of El Centro in Imperial County.
Killed were one deputy each from Orange, Imperial and Riverside counties and two deputies from Los Angeles County. The three-member California National Guard aircrew and their Vietnam-era chopper were from Company D, 140th Aviation Battalion, based at the Los Alamitos Armed Forces Reserve Center, Jordan said.
Two victims were identified this morning: Orange County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Steven Tonkin, 31, of Chino, who worked for seven years with the department and was assigned to the Career Criminal Apprehension Team; and Imperial County Sgt. Richard G. Romero, 39, a resident of El Centro and 14-year member of the Sheriff's office, Imperial County Sgt. Dan Ingle said.
The names of the six others aboard were withheld until their families could be notified.
Orange County Sheriff Brad Gates flew to El Centro immediately after learning of the crash, sheriff's spokesman Lt. Richard Olson said.
The cause of the crash is under investigation by members of the Army Safety Center at Ft. Rucker, Ala., and California National Guard safety officers, who were are on their way to the crash site.
According to a news release, the UH-1H Army helicopter was "on a training mission in support of a drug task force."
Ingle said the law-enforcement officers were involved in a task force Operation Border Ranger, a cooperative border drug-interdiction effort between local and federal authorities, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs and the Border Patrol.
The one-week operation was begun as a joint project of the San Diego, San Bernardino, Imperial, Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside counties, which each sent five or six deputies to take part in border surveillance, said Phil Donahue, head of the state Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement office in San Diego. Donahue said his agency played a support role in the operation.
He said numerous National Guard aircraft were involved and that the Border Patrol also contributed surveillance equipment and manpower to help stop the flow of drugs in a "highly concentrated, one-week operation."
Operation Border Ranger was intended to be covert until the crash, a sheriff's spokeswoman said. The operation was canceled today.
The crash occurred not far from the intersection of old Highway 80 and Interstate 8 at the bottom of the San Diego-Imperial County line mountain springs grade.
Meanwhile in Orange County, the Board of Supervisors ordered that county flags be placed at half-mast to mourn the death of the deputy.
October 10, 2008 11:03 by Damon
Sheriff Hutchens was questioned at length by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday about her review of CCWs, licenses to carry concealed firearms. The Orange County Register has written two stories since then, outlining the controversy and some of the reasons the review was ordered.
To read those stories, click here and click here.
The Sheriff's statement on her action follows.
IT’S SIMPLE, IT’S THE LAW
Sheriff Sandra Hutchens
As a citizen, I support the 2nd amendment and the rights of law-abiding gun owners. As the Sheriff-Coroner of Orange County, it is my sworn duty to uphold the law and apply it equitably to all people. Recently, there have been some who have questioned my policy on the issuance of concealed weapon permits. I would like to take this opportunity to give you the facts. California Penal Code Section 12025(a) prohibits a person from carrying a concealed firearm. California Penal Code Section 12050 authorizes the Sheriff of a county or the chief of a municipal police department to issue a license to carry a pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person. Penal Code Section 12050 was designed to be an exception to Penal Code section 12025(a)—not a way around it.
Penal Code Section 12050 reads in part: The sheriff of a county, upon proof that the person applying is of good moral character, that good cause exists for the issuance, and that the person applying satisfies any one of the conditions specified in subparagraph (D) and has completed a course of training as described in subparagraph (E), may issue to that person a license to carry a pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person ………
The only guidance on “good cause” is from a 1977 Attorney General’s opinion : Opinion No. CR 77/30I.L. states “the issuing authority must determine whether the threat to the applicant (or other causal situation) is as real as the applicant asserts (e.g., is there a clear and present danger to the applicant, his spouse, his family, or his employees). Finally, if the danger is manifest, the authority should determine whether that danger cannot be significantly alleviated by alternative means of security and whether in fact can be lawfully mitigated by the applicant’s obtaining a concealed weapons license.”
As the Sheriff-Coroner of Orange County, it is my duty to follow the law as it currently exists. Some have argued that I am somehow impacting their 2nd amendment constitutional rights. This could not be further from the truth. My decision to issue or not issue a concealed weapons permit to an applicant in no way impacts that individual’s right to bear arms in their place of business or in their home. In fact, I would encourage those who are concerned about the concealed weapons permit policy to put their energies into getting the law changed. And, if the State of California decides to change Penal Code section 12025(a), I will support that law as well.
I encourage anyone who believes they have good cause to apply for a Concealed Weapons Permit to apply. It’s simple: The decisions I make and those made by the over 4000 members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department are to follow and uphold the law. I believe that is what the citizens of Orange County want us to do and what I was hired to do.
October 8, 2008 13:04 by John
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.
September 30, 2008 15:47 by Damon
Investigators with the Orange County Sheriff's Department use new database to track down 11 suspected taggers.
By SALVADOR HERNANDEZ
The Orange County Register
LAKE FOREST – Eleven teenagers accused of tagging public property were arrested this morning in a sweep by the Orange County Sheriff's Department, the latest effort to curb vandalism in the city through the use of a new electronic database.
Deputies served four search warrants in two South County cities this morning, as well as one in Los Angeles County, in an effort to rub out vandalism in Lake Forest, which officials say has been experiencing an increase the dollar amount of costs associated with graffiti in the last three months.
Using an electronic database called Tracking Automated and Graffiti Reporting System, or TAGRS, sheriff's investigators tracked down the 11 minors, who are believed to be responsible for 68 cases of vandalism on public property, causing about $10,000 in damages, said Lt. Don Barnes.
"We want to significantly reduce the number of incidents of graffiti," Barnes said.
To read the rest of the Register's story click here.
September 29, 2008 11:24 by Damon
Sheriff's special officer Bob Kiefer has saved lives by training others, and most recently, by helping man in Vons supermarket.
By SALVADOR HERNANDEZ
The Orange County Register
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO By some accounts, Sheriff's Special Officer Bob Kiefer has been involved in about half a dozen life-saving incidents.
In most cases, it was his guidance – not a hands-on role – that saved a life.
Though he may not have always been present, many others have followed his directions as they tried to get a still heart beating again. As an instructor for Automated External Defibrillators, or AEDs, his students with the Orange County Sheriff's Department have saved at least four lives.
Kiefer was off duty a recent Sunday afternoon, shopping for groceries with his wife. That's when the 63-year-old officer swung into action. He used the same life-saving techniques he had taught more than 300 deputies to do over the years.
To read the rest of the Register's story click here.
September 9, 2008 11:44 by John
Ray Botta will provide a police presence and serve as a youth mentor.
By ALEJANDRA MOLINA
The Orange County Register
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.
September 8, 2008 16:40 by John
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.
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