From the Crime Survivors website:

RSVP to Crime Survivors, Inc., PO Box 54552, Irvine, CA 92619-4552
or call (949) 872-7895
More...

Agapito "Gapo" Soto, an information technology consultant for our Department, supports three divisions: Risk Management, the Terrorism Early Warning Group (now OC Intelligence Assessment Center), and the Emergency Communications Bureau. Whenever the communications/media team arrives up at the Emergency Operations Center Gapo is called to help fix whatever computer we've broken.

Here's what the American Staffing Association has to say about Gapo:

Here's the reason why Soto is now National Staffing Employee of the Year: For most people at the Orange County Sheriff's Department, the work day starts at 8 and ends at 4. For Soto, however, the day starts at 7 and ends at 5 or whenever he is no longer needed there. It's that simple. More...

Here are the results for Week Five as of the end of day, Thursday, February 28th:

• OC Sheriff has a combined weight loss of 205.5 lbs and a combined percent weight loss of 7.97%
• Santa Ana Police has a combined weight loss of 265.3 lbs and a combined percent weight loss of 10.19%
• Both teams have lost a total of 470.8 lbs so far
• Five of the participants have already reached or surpassed 10% weight loss individually (two participants are even above 12%)
• Four participants are closely behind at about 9%

Today, Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson announced that, effective Tuesday, March 4, Central Jail Complex Captain John B. Davis will be serving as Assistant Sheriff of Investigations. Additionally, Financial Services Director Rick Dostal will be serving as Executive Director of Special Services. The Special Services Division comprises the Support Services Division, Training Division, Financial/Administrative Services,Professional Standards,and Research & Development.

Additionally, Community Services Division Captain Dave Wilson will be heading to Theo Lacy and Theo Lacy Captain Brian Wilkerson will be heading to the Community Services Division. The Community Services Division comprises the Reserve Bureau, the Community Support Bureau and Community Programs.

For the last 24 years, I have been proud to serve in one of the finest law enforcement agencies in the nation. It has been an honor and a privilege and I have shared many extraordinary experiences with you, my colleagues.

Throughout the years you have each showcased your incredible passion and dedication to serving the residents of Orange County, and it has been an honor to serve alongside you.  Increasingly, over the last couple of years, I have been struggling to balance my commitment to this department with personal commitments and family. While it is difficult to say goodbye to many friends, it is important for me now to focus on other priorities.

I have discussed these matters with Acting Sheriff Anderson and he has released me from my commitment to the organization.

I wish you all the best and know this department will move forward in its mission of excellence during this transition.

Acting Sheriff Anderson's message to the department is below:

Effective today, I have released Assistant Sheriff Jo Ann Galisky of her commitment to this organization.

I want to thank her for her 24 years of service to the residents of Orange County.

After 31 ½ years of service to Orange County, I would like to announce my retirement from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, effective February 29, 2008.    I would like to thank all of you, the men and women who make up our great Department, for the opportunity to work with you.   You are truly the finest and have so many things to be proud of. 

I have had a wonderful career, filled with so many extraordinary opportunities and diverse assignments.  I have served three Sheriffs.  When I hired on in 1976, Sheriff Gates brought me into his office, had me sit down with him, and he gave me his vision of what opportunities OCSD would have for me in the next 30 years.  Looking back, he undersold those opportunities.  Thank you Sheriff Gates for the opportunity to serve as an Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy.  When Sheriff Carona took over the helm, he continued to allow me to grow and develop.  Thank you Sheriff Carona.   As Sheriff Anderson now has the helm, he too has continued to allow me to work for this wonderful Department.  Thank you Sheriff Anderson.

Throughout my career, I have had many mentors and colleagues (too many to mention) who helped guide me in my career.  There are a few people who I must recognize for their guidance.  Assistant Sheriff Doug Storm, Captain Randy Blair, Capt. George Johnson, Capt. Andy Romero and Lt. Rex Hatch all were mentors and helped me in my career.   Thank you all.

Lastly, I want to thank my family for their love and support. Our family is a family of service and I am so very proud of each and every one of them.  My wife Tina and daughter Heather work at OCSD.  My other daughter, LynnMarie, works for a school district in Orange County and hopes to become a 2nd or 3rd grade teacher in the near future.  My son Daric is in the US Army and preparing to leave for his 3rd tour of duty in Iraq next month.  They have all supported me throughout my career, allowing me to be away from home and enjoying the ride at OCSD. 

I wish you all the very best in your careers and your lives.  My prayers will continue to be to keep you all safe in your daily activities and that you too will enjoy the happiness I found while working for the best law enforcement agency in this country, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.  Thank you for allowing me to be a small part of it. 

Below is Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson's message to the department:

Assistant Sheriff Steve Bishop has communicated his desire to retire effective today. He has submitted a letter of thanks, which has been posted on our blog.

Assistant Sheriff Bishop should be commended for his 31 years of service to the residents of Orange County. His contribution to our agency has helped to make the Sheriff’s Department the great organization it is today.

I wish him well in his much deserved retirement – as he begins a new chapter in his life.

Assistant Sheriff Charles Walters will cover Chief Bishop’s responsibilities until I name a replacement.

From the Media Release:

Deputy Harrison “Dan” Manhart, a 9-year Orange County Sheriff’s veteran, will be honored by the City Council tonight as San Juan Capistrano’s 2007 Deputy of the Year.

Manhart has served San Juan Capistrano since his assignment to South Operations/Patrol in June of 2005.  His professionalism, motivation and commitment to the city has earned him the respect of his peers, supervisors and community members, said Lt. Mike Betzler, chief of police services.

Manhart serves as a Field Training Officer and patrol deputy. He also serves on the department’s Critical Incident Response Team, a field-based team of highly trained deputies versed in the use of high-powered assault weapons.  Manhart has played a major role in helping to reduce crime in town. His arrest statistics basically tell the story and rank him as a “Top Gun” deputy in San Juan Capistrano, Betzler said.

In the past year, he was responsible for 133 total arrests – 48 were for felonies. In the last couple of years, Manhart has also been instrumental in working to take drunk drivers off of city streets. Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) will recognize him again with its “Deuce Award” for his efforts to combat driving under the influence in San Juan Capistrano. 

Manhart has spent hours immersing himself into the community to become familiar with all aspects of the city, patrol areas and residents and business owners. His vast network has allowed him to keep a watchful eye on all types of activities that occur in San Juan Capistrano.

Betzler said that Manhart’s professionalism and dedication to the community is outstanding. More...

Finally...here's the video we've been promising...

Once again, thanks to Mrs. Giacoletti for taping the whole thing... including the victory dinner afterwards.

And, if you're wondering why they were fighting, see here. And here.

Somewhere Rocky Marciano is smiling.  It was billed as the main event and Deputy Mike "Machette" Giacoletti didn't disappoint.  With a stiff uppercut at the half way point of the second round it was clear that FBI Agent Carlos Narro wanted no more. 

Nicely done Deputy Machette! 

If you missed the fight we will have it up on the blog later this evening.... Thanks to Mrs. Giacoletti who took her video camera with her and let us borrow the disc.

Another thank you to KCAL 9 for this report.

@18:40 RYAN ADDS: I'd like to give my MacBook Pro a stiff uppercut...the video is stuck there until I can figure out how to get it to YouTube. Stay Tuned.

Tonight at 6:00 at the Long Beach Convention Center, Deputy Mike Giacoletti of the Central Justice Center will be taking on Carlos "The FBI Kid" Narro in one of three scheduled boxing matches featuring Peace Officers.  The Boxing card is the highlight of the three-day TREXPO West Conference. 

Here's the link for the Conference.

I am told Deputy Giacoletti was a late addition to the card after one of the other fighters had to be scratched. He didn't even have time to come up with a fighting nickname. 

If you can't make it down to the Convention Center tonight, we should have pictures and if we're lucky some video tomorrow. 

Good luck tonight, Deputy Giacoletti!

A plan to institute a new Correctional Officer classification within the Orange County Jail system is being drafted. This plan will provide an estimated savings of $26 to $34 million annually if implemented in existing jail facilities. Savings would increase to an estimated $56 to $80 million annually once the expansion of the James. A. Musick Correctional Facility is completed.

Traditionally the Sheriff’s Department has hired deputy sheriffs, sent them through the Sheriff’s Academy, and had them work in the jails for a period of time. Back in the 1950’s deputies worked the jail for less than a year, observing criminal behavior prior to working the streets on patrol. The Sheriff’s Department has maintained this tradition over the last 50 years while jail operations appreciably expanded with the population of Orange County.  As a result, today deputy sheriffs serve eight years in the jails before they can go to a patrol assignment.

With the James A. Musick Correctional Facility expansion on the horizon, under the current inmate to deputy staffing ratio, at total expansion it is expected that an additional 700 deputy sheriffs will be working in the jails. This will result in deputies serving around 15 years in corrections before they can be transferred to a patrol assignment. Hiring deputy sheriffs, sending them to a six-month academy to learn patrol skills and then having them work the jails for a decade and a half is not good personnel management nor is it a prudent use of taxpayer resources. “Intuitively and from a business perspective, it is obvious that continuing with tradition is not good public policy. Innovation and sound business practices must be implemented,” said Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson.

The jobs of current staff will not be in jeopardy, as under these changes the Correctional Officer classification would begin replacing jail deputies as they move into our communities to provide patrol and crime prevention services.
 
“This plan is long overdue. The expansion of the James A. Musick Correctional Facility will allow us to lock up more criminals, keeping our streets safe. But without this plan operational costs of our jails will also increase dramatically. Our county and the state are facing turbulent economic times and fixes cannot be found in the status quo,” said Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson. “We must be responsive so Orange County taxpayers don’t have to carry this burden in the future.”
 
Further study on this initiative will require a great deal of innovation, planning, and implementation over the next several months. In addition, the Acting Sheriff has directed department personnel to explore other ways of operating more efficiently, while maintaining public safety.

On March 21st, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department will celebrate the 20th Annual Medal of Valor awards. At the luncheon we will recognize 35 distinguished individuals for the valor, courage and lifesaving they performed while serving the citizens of Orange County in 2007. 

For information on sponsoring a table, or to purchase individual seats, please contact Marilyn MacDougall at (714) 647-4135.

Click "more" to view a list of those being honored as well as a brief description of the incident in which they are receiving recognition. More...

As seen in Mission Viejo and San Juan Capistrano: The 2007 Dodge Magnum wagon. According to Sheriff's Sergeant Rob Gunzel, "A major benefit of this type of vehicle is the large storage space in the rear of the car. Additionally, because the dogs are constantly in and out of the kennel, the vehicle’s low profile will help the pounding of the dog’s joints."

Basic Academy Class 182 produced 10 Police Officers, 24 Deputy Sheriffs and one diminutive honorary classmate who none who attended Monday’s class graduation will ever forget.
 
Class 182 President Ryan Lux, of the Garden Grove Police Department made the presentation to eight-year old Dylan Rusk, who suffers from Leukemia.  In December Dylan was made a Deputy Sheriff for a day in accordance with the youngster’s desire communicated to the Make A Wish Foundation.

The hundreds of family, friends and colleagues of the Class 182 graduates who attended the ceremony at the Orange County Sheriff's Regional Training Academy were treated to a video that was made recording Dylan’s day as an honorary Deputy Sheriff.

He joined the class in learning how to stop a car and make an arrest. One of the highlights of his day was in shouting commands to a formation of Class 182 and two other classes being trained at the academy that day. The recruits did “inspirational” pushups for the ailing youngster.