Alice Chandler received a Deputy Sheriff's Badge from Sheriff James Musick in 1949 and was told she was a deputy. She may have been a Special Deputy, records are vague, but she was given an Deputy Sheriff's Badge. She returned it last year on her 80th birthday, along with the .32 caliber pistol she carried while guarding Irvine Ranch property on horseback. She cae to a Divison Commander's meeting with her gear to be returned shortly after Sheriff Sandra Hutchens took office.

To see a feature on Alice Chandler published in the Trabuco Canyon News click: Trabuco Cyn News Scan001 (2).pdf (786.17 kb)

To see the Department Blog story on her returning her badge click here.

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

  
SHERIFF-CORONER DEPARTMENT
COUNTY OF ORANGE
CALIFORNIA

550 NORTH FLOWER STREET – P.O. BOX 449
SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92702-0449
(714) 647-7042 

SANDRA HUTCHENS 
   SHERIFF-CORONER    

                                                                                                                                 Dec. 30, 2008
PRESS  RELEASE
 
Orange County Law Enforcement To Crack Down On New Year’s Gunfire

There is no place in Orange County where it is safe or legal to fire a gun in the air to celebrate the New Year.

Even a small caliber bullet will go up to 2 miles in the air and come crashing back to the ground at a speed capable of penetrating a human skull.

Incidents of guns fired to celebrate the New Year have declined in Orange County in recent years but even one carelessly fired shot carries with it the potential to kill. We commend the media for getting out the word on how dangerous this practice can be but we still receive reports that guns are being fired without regard to who is endangered.

t least one child in Orange County has died due to a celebratory shot fired into the air and Orange County law enforcement agencies are united in their commitment to prevent any more such casualties.  On July 4, 2002, a shot fired in the air during a Buena Park fireworks demonstration killed 9-year old Xavier Morales of Anaheim.

To further thwart those who insist on shooting their guns to herald in the New Year, special teams are being deployed on New Year’s Eve to respond to any reports of gunshots. The District Attorney has assured us that his office will prosecute those arrested to the fullest extent of the law.

These teams are being deployed by the Sheriff’s Department and will assist other agencies when needed.

Some things to remember:

• If you shoot your gun in the air, you might be jailed for up to a year.

• If your bullet kills another person, you will be prosecuted for murder.
• A bullet fired into the air is traveling at a speed of 300 to 700 feet per second when it falls back to earth, it has enough force to penetrate a human skull.

• Call 911 if you see someone fire a gun into the air.

Section 246.3 of the California Penal Code outlaws the “Grossly negligent discharge of a firearm.”

The law says in part:

“any person who willfully discharges a firearm in a grossly negligent manner which could result in injury or death to a person is guilty of a public offense and shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by imprisonment in the state prison.”

To see the Orange County Register's story on the press conference click here.

A letter from Sheriff Sandra Hutchens to the Department

This past year we have experienced many successes and I am proud of you all for what you do to make our department an organization that is highly respected by the public. I know that as we move into the New Year, your commitment and dedication will remain unwavering.

Unfortunately, the New Year will usher in one of the worst economic forecasts in memory and the impact on our department will be profound.

We must focus on doing the most we can with the resources we have. Virtually all revenue sources are down from last year and the state is slashing the funds it provides to counties for many critical programs. The press has reported on severe cost reductions and layoffs for the Social Services Agency and major reductions in funding to Probation and the Health Care Agency. Eventually, all departments will experience severe budget cuts.

To maximize our services and to minimize staffing impacts, we must work together to reduce our costs. Overtime is being minimized, extra-help is being used for critical services only, discretionary annual leave payoffs have been suspended, training and travel is being reduced, and non-critical purchases are being deferred. All of these savings may minimize the future need to reduce staffing.

For our department, Proposition 172 funds (public safety sales taxes) are running about $12 million under budget this year and the holiday shopping numbers are disappointing at best. The financial plan adopted by the Board provides some additional General Funds for our department, but we will still likely be facing a $20 to $30 million shortfall in FY 09-10 and a $40 million plus shortfall the year after that. Based on the financial plan adopted by the Board, there is no doubt that we will be making serious reductions in the services that we provide to the public.

More than ever, we must focus on our core services.

As individuals, we will all be sharing the burden through deferred salary increases, reductions in overtime, reductions in annual leave payoffs, and experiencing the frustration of seeing the services that we provide to the public being reduced. But within our Department, I am confident that we will pull together to continue to serve and protect the residents of Orange County in our usual extraordinary way.

The next few years will be difficult and I thank you in advance for your dedication and hard work to keep Orange County safe.

SANDRA HUTCHENS
Sheriff-Coroner

Christmas came early this year to 25 men and women of Basic Academy Class 187 who were sworn as Deputy Sheriffs and Police Officers on Tuesday by Sheriff Sandra Hutchens.

 Lt. Jeff Bardzik said the accomplishment of the graduates was impressive.

“The instruction included law, community relations, officer safety, health and fitness, cultural diversity, ethical decision making,” and a wide range of other subjects he said. The trainees were shown to be committed to principle, hard work and integrity, Lt. Bardzik said.

Photos by Professional Services Responders Randy and Kyle Frager

Deputy Brad Gonzales, served as Chaplain of the Class 187 and gave an invocation.

“We are thankful for the honor and duty we have been charged with to help others and do good continuously,” he said in part.

There was a show of appreciation for the Tactical Staff and special recognition was given to Deputy Jeff Hallock, Santa Ana Police Officer Garry Couso, and Manhattan Beach Police Officer Ron Walker. The three are being reassigned.

Lt. Bardzik said the academy benefits greatly when outside agencies assign sworn personnel to serve as Tactical Officers. 

Deputy Jeremy Buraglia, served as Class President and he gave a talk to the hundreds of family and friends who came to the graduation.

He made a reference to the fact that Section 187 of the California Penal Code is Murder, with malice aforethought. More...

Strategy, Accountability, Focus and Evaluation are management principles the Orange County Sheriff’s Department plans to utilize more effectively under a new program that will go into operation in January 2009.

When Sheriff Sandra Hutchens came into office in June 2008 she conducted an assessment of Department policies, performance and the organizational culture that had developed over the years.  The core values she found were good ones but the lack of consistency in record keeping, policies and procedures were a concern for both the performance of individuals and units within the Department.

The establishment of the SAFE (Strategy, Accountability, Focus and Evaluation) Program is intended to achieve an improved culture within the Department, one that always strives toward ever improving professionalism, self pride and organizational cohesion.  A dividend to the success of this program will be to reduce risk and liability, assist in employee development and promote problem solving behavior that is consistent with Department goals of serving and protecting the public. 

The SAFE Program will be managed by Lieutenant Mike Hiller and will serve as a catalyst to maintain consistency and a high standard of performance throughout the Sheriff’s Department’s 4,000 men and women working in 20 division commands.

In the future, the Sheriff’s Department will have easy access to statistics for Department wide crime fighting utilization. These uniform numbers will better enable managers to determine crime trends, staffing needs and resource deployment.  The standardization of regulations and policies will provide a better gauge to measure the performance of units and individual members of the Department.

A preliminary SAFE Unit was established in October 2008 following the Sheriff’s assessment of Department resources.  The unit’s members are experienced and understand the importance of policy development, information gathering, joint and inter-agency collaboration, and working with the public.  The SAFE Unit members are familiar with all aspects of the Department and have established themselves as progressive team members who are eager to face the challenges of developing a new and innovative program.

The new program is in large part the product of the project undertaken by consultant Lee McCown. He has an extensive background in law enforcement Risk Management. A similar assessment he conducted for the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department contributed to a 35 percent reduction in litigation losses against that Department, with a significant savings to taxpayers. To see the Department Blog story on Lee McCown click here.

Lt. Hiller has most recently commanded the staff at the Central Courthouse where he directed the seemingly impossible task of ensuring the on time daily delivery of hundreds of inmates to dozens of courtrooms and the weapons screening of thousands of jurors and courthouse visitors. During his quarter century with the Department he has served as Academy Commander and he helped form the Terrorism Early Warning Group in 2002.

As SAFE Program Manager, Lt. Hiller will coordinate the tracking of such activities as use of force incidents, traffic accidents, officer involved shootings and citizen commendations of Department members.   These activities will be evaluated and assessed in regularly scheduled forums to allow managers to do trend and event analysis.  The assessment of trends and events within the jails or community will allow each division to manage incidents more effectively and proactively. 

In addition, SAFE will develop and implement an employee review process to provide a fair and responsible system for assessing an employee’s work performance.  Some examples of information maintained include, commendations, complaints, evaluations, etc.  This process benefits the employee as well as his or her current and previous supervisors and ensures the employee remains a productive and effective member of the department. More...

More than 6,000 gifts were collected from Department employees this week and they were shipped off to Orange County's Operation Santa Claus. The annual campaign is aimed at helping youngsters and the needy.

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.

Santa Claus left his sleigh home Tuesday and caught a ride aboard a Marine Unit fireboat for a ride across Newport Beach Harbor.

Santa was aboard the Department vessel to pay a surprise visit to 215 seriously ill youngsters taking a harbor cruise courtesy of the “Make a Wish” Foundation.

Photographs by Professional Services Responder George Ridley

Santa was escorted by Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and the Deputies who make up the crew of the fireboat.

The youngsters and their families were aboard Crystal, a charter craft from Electra Cruises for a 2 ½ hour dinner cruise of the harbor when Santa and Sheriff Hutchens came alongside in the fireboat.

Santa distributed gifts to all the good children, and luckily none of the 215 youngsters aboard had made Santa’s naughty list.

While the youngsters were happy to see Santa and their parents glad to visit with the Sheriff, the Department personnel volunteering for the event were overjoyed to see Honorary Deputy Dylan.

Honorary Deputy Dylan was granted a wish last year, to be an honorary Deputy Sheriff for one day. He visited throughout the Department and won his way into the hearts of almost everybody he met that day. Dylan was on the cruise.

By Jason Felch and Maura Dolan
December 14, 2008

In June, Orange County Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas made a bold grab for a crown jewel of local law enforcement: the DNA unit of the sheriff's crime lab.

With the lab's director out of town and the sheriff recently deposed by corruption charges, Rackauckas submitted a brief agenda item to county supervisors two business days before their regular meeting. 
 
"Our aim is to make significant changes in the way forensic DNA analysis is conducted," Rackauckas wrote. The D.A.'s office is "the only organization capable of harnessing the vast potential of forensic DNA technology."

The move capped a three-year tug of war for control of DNA analysis in a historically conservative county where putting criminals behind bars can bring substantial political rewards.

"I have never experienced anything like it in more than 30 years of law enforcement," recalled Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, who took over the department in the midst of the battle. "I couldn't get my brain around it, and no one I've spoken with could either."

To read the whole LA Times story click here.

The Deputies lined up in four straight ranks of seven, shoes shined brightly, creases crisp and seams as straight as an arrow.  The next group was made up of Community Service Officers and civilians but they were every bit as anxious to give a good impression as the Deputies.

The unit stood for inspection, some wearing commendations for extraordinary police work and others the accruements of special assignments, like the two motors and the K-9 officer.

The scene was in a restaurant parking lot on top of the Dana Point headlands, the city’s beautiful harbor far below.

Sheriff Sandra Hutchens had come to inspect the men and women of Dana Point Police Services.  She is in the process of inspecting each unit in the Department. 

Photos by Sheriff's Photographer Jerry Manson and Professional Services Responder George Ridley

“In addition to doing a good job, we need to look good,” she tells each of the units she visits.  She envisions the inspections as a new tradition in the Department.

First Assistant Sheriff Michael Hillmann, Captain Brian Wilkerson and Lieutenant Mark Levy came before the group.  Assistant Sheriff Hillman called the ranks to attention.

Next Sheriff Hutchens and Undersheriff John Scott walked in step before the group and returned the salute of Assistant Sheriff Hillmann.

She and Undersheriff Scott inspected Assistant Sheriff Hillmann, Captain Wilkerson and Lieutenant Levy. Then all five formed a line and approached the first rank of Deputies.

Assistant Sheriff Hillman gave the order, “second, third and fourth squads, Parade Rest.” More...

Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and the Command Staff helped greet 80 seriously ill youngsters who flew in from Canada to visit Disneyland as part of Dreamlift 2008.

There were 114 members of the Department who, using their own time, worked as escorts for the youngsters while at the park. The Sheriff's Advisory Council purchases park tickets for the escorts.

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.

Jubal at Red County is unhappy with the Sheriff's Department Blog.

"It used to be you'd check the OC Sheriff's Blog because you could find substantive news, or even breaking news. Now, it's awards ceremonies or eulogies to dead police horses. The irony is the departmental blog provided more substantive information under Carona than it does now. Why it has been dialed back, I don't know," Jubal wrote this week.

To read his view of the Department Blog click here.

The Sheriff's Blog is not intended to create controversy; in part it does provide a venue for the Sheriff to give her view on controversial subjects. It is also intended to give the public a look at what members of the Department do day in and day out.  These feature stories Jubal complains about are meant to do just that. The story earlier this week about the Deputies who book inmates into the jail gives a look at a typical shift with the Deputies in the booking area. There have been news stories about them in the past but those were always about complaints people had made against them. To read the Blog story click here.

We don't shy away from controversy, the Blog has included entries in recent weeks about both the CCW issue and the Jail Audit. Those matters are hot right now but tame compared to some of the issues the Sheriff's Department has faced this year and during the last term of former Sheriff Mike Carona.

And just to make it very clear, we will not stop posting stories about Deputies and others in the Department being honored. And we won't take down the eulogy to Cabby, a long valued member of our Mounted Unit.

The Los Angeles Times reported today the number of complaints filed by the publice against Orange County Sheriff's Deputies less than five-percent the number of complaints when compared to Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputies. Size of the Departments and demographics may be part of the reason, Los Angeles has five times as many Deputies as Orange County and patrols much higher crime areas.

On the recommendation of Stephen J. Connolly, executive director of the Orange County Office of Independent Review, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens ordered complaint forms to be made available online. They can be found at the lower left side of the Department's Website hompage, titled Personnel Complaint Form, listed under Quick Links.

To read the full Los Angeles Times Story click here.   

Regaining a Positive Image

Next Tuesday the findings of the Orange County Jail Assessment Project will be released at the Board of Supervisors meeting. This exhaustive audit, conducted by Crout & Sida Criminal Justice Consultants, is the culmination of extensive onsite evaluations of all five correctional facilities, all court holding facilities, and various divisions and units supporting the corrections mission. The goal was to get an understanding of the operation and the challenges we face each and every day in the safety and well-being of our inmates and staff - and to identify areas on which we can improve.

Throughout this process, the auditing team has communicated with the Executive Command Staff and Corrections Division Commanders on critical issues that required immediate attention. The men and women serving in corrections have embraced these changes - the final report notes, "Staff at all levels is engaged and enthusiastic about the work that they perform in the jail and express pride in their department." The report continues, "[m]any expressed that they are looking forward to moving the department out of the glaring light of public scrutiny and regaining a positive image..." We are well on our way.

As you will hear in the report presentation, there are many challenges ahead. Today more than ever, inmate populations are in poorer health, more drug addicted, more mentally ill and more prone to violence. Additionally, many of the improvements we will need to make on our correctional facilities will require additional funding - a sobering admission as we wrestle with ever-tightening budgets. However, as I've witnessed over the last five months, the men and women in our department will rise to these challenges and pave a way to greater success.

I look forward to the jail assessment presentation next week as it will showcase the extraordinary work we've already accomplished for the residents of Orange County and it will guide us all as we move forward to "regaining a positive image."

SANDRA HUTCHENS

Sheriff-Coroner

The Orange County Chapter of TIP honored 14 members of Orange County's public safety community, including two members of the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Sheriff Sandra Hutchens was this year's honorary chair of the event, which took place on Friday night.  The two Sheriff's Department members honored were Deputy Justin Osterfeld, of the City of Mission Viejo Police Services and Senior Deputy Coroner Janet Shearer, of the Sheriff/Coroner Office.

The Trauma Intervention Program, Inc. (TIP), a national non-profit organization founded in 1985 and has 15 chapters serving over 250 cities across the nation. At the request of Police, Fire and Hospital personnel, TIP volunteers provide emotional and practical support to victims of traumatic events and their families in the first few hours following a tragedy. Service recognition TIP has received includes the Ford Foundation "Innovations in State and Local Government" and the US Justice Department "Crime Victim Service" awards.

The Orange County Chapter of TIP currently has 99 volunteers who are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, serving 20 cities, 12 hospitals, and 11 public safety agencies. To volunteer, donate, or for more information go to www.tiporangecounty.org or call 949-707-9016.

To visit the Website of Orange County's Chapter of TIP click here.   

Graphic by Sergeant John Hollenbeck

From Sheriff Sandra Hutchens:

On September 12th, bureau commanders and managers, both sworn and professional, were asked for assistance in producing the Mission Statement and Core Values for the Sheriff’s Department. They were requested to have their supervisors solicit suggestions from line staff on what they believed should be included in the Mission Statement and Core Values for the Department. The volume of suggestions offered was extraordinary.

The Mission Statement was based on a submission by Sheriff’s Special Officer Shawn Tangard of the John Wayne Airport Police Services division. The Core Values were selected from those consistently offered for inclusion by Sheriff’s Department personnel. The following individuals played a key role in the crafting of the final version of the Mission Statement and Core Values:

Administrative Manager Denise Litten          Southeast/Southwest Operations Divisions
Sergeant Vince Bravata                                  Tactical Training Center
Investigator Margie Sheehan                         Economic Crimes Bureau
Deputy Ryan Anderson                                   West Justice Center
Deputy Theresa Bard                                      Risk Management Bureau
Deputy Aaron Brady                                       North Patrol Bureau
Deputy Christine Chang                                  Lake Forest Police Services
Deputy Jeff Puckett                                         Lake Forest Police Services

We should all be proud of the collective effort that shaped our new Mission Statement and Core Values. It is my hope that the Mission Statement and Core Values will serve as our guide and assist our residents in measuring our performance in the service of our communities.

     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.

Sheriff Sandra Hutchens is quoted in the Press Release Issued today by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  

News Release

Record number of criminal aliens targeted for enforcement in Southland jails
ICE teams with local law enforcement to process more than 35,000 criminal aliens in 2008

LOS ANGELES – The number of criminal aliens identified and processed by federal and local officers in Los Angeles-area jails and prisons reached record levels this year, up more than 10 percent compared to the year before, according to statistics released today by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

ICE officials attribute the gain to expansion of the agency’s Criminal Alien Program (CAP) and the continued success of ICE’s 287(g) partnerships with the sheriffs’ departments in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.  Under those partnerships, specially-trained sheriffs’ personnel interview criminal aliens in the county jails, lodging immigration detainers against those who are potentially deportable to ensure they are turned over to ICE upon release from local custody. 

“We made a commitment to the American people to embark on an ambitious enforcement strategy aimed at securing our borders and strengthening our nation’s immigration system,” said Julie L. Myers, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for ICE. “The record results seen across the country reflect significant, steady progress toward this goal. The men and women at ICE, along with our law enforcement partners, deserve our thanks for their hard work and dedication.”

In fiscal year 2008, ICE officers and sheriffs’ department personnel processed a total of 35,562 criminal aliens in the seven-county jurisdiction covered by ICE’s Los Angeles Office of Detention and Removal Operations, an increase of 12 percent compared to fiscal year 2007.  Of that number, a little less than one third were cases identified by sheriffs’ department personnel.  The remainder were criminal aliens identified and processed by ICE personnel at local, county and federal facilities throughout the Southland.

“The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is proud of our partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” said Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens. “Our Cross-Designation program has assisted us in identifying thousands of undocumented foreign nationals who have committed crimes and are booked into our jails. This collaboration keeps criminals from returning to the streets and increases the safety of our communities.”

The local growth in criminal alien cases is consistent with the national trend.  In fiscal year 2008, the number of criminal aliens charged by ICE while incarcerated nationwide soared to more than 221,000, more than three times the total from just two years before.  Ensuring criminal aliens held in the nation’s jails and prisons are targeted for removal rather than being released onto the streets is one of ICE’s top priorities through its Secure Communities program. 

The cornerstone of Secure Communities is the implementation of interoperable technology that will provide local law enforcement agencies immigration history information contained in DHS databases.  By spring 2009, it is estimated that some 50 law enforcement agencies will be utilizing this new process, with a target of 100 percent participation by 2011.  Already, 100 percent of inmates at federal and state facilities are being screened as part of CAP.  This new link to immigration databases ensures a virtual ICE presence at local jails as well.

Another ICE enforcement priority is reducing backlog of immigration fugitive cases and ensuring that deportation orders handed down by the nation’s immigration judges are enforced.  Today ICE has more than 100 Fugitive Operations Teams deployed nationwide to pursue these types of cases, including seven teams here in the Southland. 

In fiscal year 2008, the Los Angeles-area Fugitive Operations Team accounted for 3,300 arrests, a 23 percent increase compared to the previous year.  Nationwide, the teams recorded approximately 34,000 arrests, more than double the figure from just two years ago.  As a result of these efforts, the nation's fugitive alien population continues to decline.  Estimates now place the number of fugitive alien cases at slightly under 560,000, a decrease of nearly 37,000 in the fiscal year.  This is a historic reversal of the previous growth trend in fugitive cases.

Reflecting the impact of ICE’s heightened, strategic enforcement efforts, the number of illegal aliens repatriated by the agency in fiscal year 2008 jumped 20 percent.  During the past 12 months, ICE removed or returned a total of 349,041 illegal aliens to their native countries, compared to 288,663 aliens in fiscal year 2007.  Notably, one third of the illegal aliens removed from the United States last year were foreign nationals who had prior criminal convictions in addition to being in the country illegally. 

       # ICE #

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.  ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.