Stephen J. Connolly is excited about his new job as Executive Director of the Office of Independent Review and said he plans to become a familiar face as an outsider within the Department.
He said that his role has been confused in the arenas of politics and the press and that he sees his mandate as one of working to help the Department by ensuring the Department properly polices itself.
“I will not be conducting my own investigations. Our philosophy is that the Department in many ways is best suited to review and address critical allegations of misconduct,” he explained.
“I’ll have access to Department investigators and I will talk to Department decision makers,” he said. “I will have a front row seat, able to access files and determine the thoroughness of an investigation and the reasonableness of the resolution.”
Mr. Connolly, 44, was born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts and graduated from the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. After college he did volunteer work with disadvantaged youngsters in the inner city sections of Syracuse and Brooklyn, New York. He married and moved to Long Beach in 1987.
He and his wife worked as teachers in a Catholic School and he obtained a Masters Degree in English Literature from UCI. The couple is raising three children: Two girls are aged 18 and 16 and their boy is 12. While working as a teacher and raising his family, Mr. Connolly spent four years attending night classes at Loyola University School of Law in Los Angeles. He had harbored an interest in law since elementary school. One of his teachers was adjunct professor Michael Gennaco, a federal civil rights prosecutor who would later be named the first executive director of the Office of Independent Review for the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.
While in law school, Mr. Connolly began working for a law firm and after his admission to the State Bar he went to work for a firm defending clients accused of white collar crimes. He worked closely with lawyer Jan Handzlik. When Mr. Handzlik was appointed the Los Angeles Police Commission as a member of the Rampart Review Committee, he brought along Mr. Connolly.
It was Mr. Connolly’s first introduction to police work. His brother is with the Secret Service, but Mr. Connolly had no involvement with law enforcement prior to his working on the Rampart Committee.
In September of 2001 he got a call from his former law professor, Michael Gennaco. Mr. Gennaco wanted him to join the newly formed Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Office of Independent Review as a staff lawyer.
He had hired a number of experienced attorneys and was forming a complimentary team. “I think he wanted to round it out with a new lawyer with a lot of energy,” said Mr. Connolly.
He found a good deal of difference between the cultures of the LAPD and the LASD. The primary difference was that LAPD policed one city. The LASD patrolled many cities and unincorporated areas that ranged from poor inner city neighborhoods to affluent celebrity populated beach communities and sections of the county that were essentially rural. In addition, the LASD ran the country’s biggest jail system. The Sheriff’s staff had to be prepared for a much more varied set of duties than the LAPD.
While working in Los Angeles Mr. Connolly had contact with Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, Undersheriff John Scott and Assistant Sheriff Michael Hillmann. The Sheriff and Undersheriff are former members of LASD. Chief Hillmann served with LAPD.
“The Los Angeles Sheriff called Chief Hillmann in as an expert to consult with him on a few incidents,” said Mr. Connolly. “They had tremendous respect for Chief Hillmann. He was very very committed to review and find ways to improve tactics and performance.”
Sheriff Hutchens and Undersheriff Scott both served as Chiefs with the LASD and commanded a large number of deputies. Mr. Connolly had dealings with them in connection with investigations of their staffs and policy issues impacting the entire Department.
“On a couple of occasions John Scott and I saw things differently. Even when he did not change my mind, I respected his decision. He was very good about listening and very willing to reconsider if it was appropriate.”
About Sheriff Hutchens, he said, “Where we still had differences of opinion, she was always willing to explain the reasons she felt she was right.”
He said he maintains the highest regard for the integrity of both Sheriff Hutchens and Undersheriff Scott.
Indications are that Mr. Connolly will locate his office in the Brad Gates Building across the street from Headquarters. He plans to spend a lot of time in Orange County Sheriff’s Department facilities, meeting people and learning about how the Department works. He will hire more lawyers and staff but probably wait to learn what kind of issues he will deal with before making final selections.
“I’d like to be able to start making an effective contribution soon,” he said. “The last thing I want to do is give ideas and opinions before I have the knowledge and experience to give those ideas the credibility needed to be accepted by the Department.”
He said he doesn’t want to be viewed as anti-law enforcement or somebody who is a know-nothing out to give unwanted advice. He wants to be another layer in the review process.
“I have tremendous respect for working peace officers and at the same time I can be valuable providing an outside perspective. My only job is to review and monitor.”
He said his presence will help dispel any public perception that the Department is covering up for its own members.
“My goal is to work with the Department so that every decision is a reasonable one,” said Mr. Connolly. “I can’t make Sheriff Hutchens do what she doesn’t want to do. All I can do is try to persuade.”
He said he expects to achieve his goal through a consensus with the Sheriff and other Department Command Staff.
The existence of oversight is itself an influence on the way cases are investigated internally, he said.
“I can have a presence. I can dialogue more completely and thoughtfully about a case and there is awareness that I will scrutinize the process. I am an extra set of eyes.”