Supes to do national search for sheriff
January 29th, 2008, 3:51 pm · 50 Comments · posted by PEGGY LOWE
Looks like Assistant Sheriff Jack Anderson will have his “acting sheriff” gig for a while. The supes just decided to hire an executive firm to do a national search for a replacement for former Sheriff Mike Carona. The vote was 3-2, headed by Supes Pat Bates, Bill Campbell and Janet Nguyen.
Supes John Moorlach and Chris Norby opposed the national search, saying there are good local candidates who are already registered to vote in the county. That’s a prerequisite for the job. (View the other list of necesary qualifications here.)
Bates said she has found such firms to do searches that are “very transparent, very objective.” It will cost between $25,000 to $75,000. The search alone could take at least four weeks — then the interviews will begin.
– Peggy Lowe
January 29th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Do Moorlach and Norby have someone in mind?
January 29th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
That’s nice except that if they had instead voted for a resolution to amend the County Charter then the Sheriff’s election would be in June and November of this year. Might of saved everybody a lot of trouble.
January 29th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
How come whenever the Stupes get together and vote on something, I feel like I am getting mugged?
January 29th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
They should do a special election.
January 29th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
5149.5. It’s not that your special, all the voters just got mugged.
January 29th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Ah, Sam…don’t burst my bubble…ha ha!
January 29th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
I don’t see a long term stay on the board for Janet or Pat. They stick the Deputies for their retirement then vote to spend 500,000 to find a qualified canidate for Sheriff…What the heck. Janet has an election in June and I don’t see a win next to her name.
January 29th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Jim. They can’t do a special election but they can amend the County Charter. The BOS and County Counsel rely on one Supreme Court case and a Attorney General opinion. But they ignore another Supreme Court case that says County Charter provisions adopted are not limited by the general law. The BOS would rather go by the general law.
January 29th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
The OC supervisors are a bunch of crooks, especially the ones who’ve been there forever (ie. Norby). Why do we keep voting for them?? Their salaries are about $135,000, but w/ all the goodies it tops $200,000! Now that’s getting mugged.
January 29th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Funny, I thought that they’d throw Bill Hunt the job. Especially since everything he told them about Corona looks to be true. I have no doubts that Hunt would walk into the Sheriff’s office, and immediately clean house. Isn’t that what everyone thinks needs to be done?
January 29th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
It is painfully obvious that the fair county has not learned from the mistakes made over the last several years. It is nothing more than a tragedy to go outside the Sheriff’s office for a replacement. Leave well enough alone and let Anderson remain as Sheriff. He will ultimately prove his worth. Every time we go outside the department we have realized a giant nightmare, i.e. Jaramillo and Haidl and Carona. Anderson is not a Carona loyalist. He is a Sheriff’s Department loyalist and has been such for over twenty one years.
January 29th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
This is one of the most professional decisions voted upon by the OC Board of Supervisors. Isn’t this the way Chief Bratton with the LAPD commenced his career in Southern California?
January 29th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Gather round, kids, your Uncle 5149.5 has a bedtime story for all of you:
The Orange County Board of Supervisors is trying to make suckers of us. They are the proverbial street corner 3-card Monty artist, maneuvering face cards with lightning speed giving you just enough of a glance to make you think you know exactly where the winner lies. Flip-flip-flip—it’s Bill Hunt. Not so fast though my friend, another quick arrangement of the cards and it’s—Paul Walters! But hold on, they aren’t finished yet, cuffs get pulled back, fingers fly and it’s—yes! Jack Anderson! But get that smug look off your face and don’t think you’ve won just because you think you know where your candidate is comfortably settled. The Board has one more trick up their sleeves. They will momentarily distract with a bright, shiny object—the nationwide search—and while we are busy sweating out and speculating on and positioning ourselves over that, they will quietly, deftly reach into their back pockets and pull out—Ralph ‘Been-There-Hasn’t-Done-Much’ Martin, fresh from being surgically removed from John Moorlach’s hind-end and you will walk away disappointed and empty-handed once again. Don’t you know by now? You can’t beat the house.
January 29th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Let me understand this: All in the same day the Supes decide to spend tax payer dollars on an unnecessary national search for a New Head Sheriff and cut the pensions of the county sheriffs? Wow!! The Supes don’t care about the fragile infrastructure of our counties #1 protection agency and the voices of the people who want local, ethical, honest candidates like Bill Hunt to take the position. I sure hope none of the Supes will call on Orange County’s finiest in the near future for personal assistance.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
DB. Bratton seems to me to be a pretty squared away guy but there is one significant difference. He is not an elected official.Just because the Supes decided on a “Nationwide Search” (sounds impressive doesn’t it?) doesn’t mean that person is our next Sheriff. The devil is in the details. Might be a problem for someone to pull up stakes and move here for what could very well be a temporary job. Why can’t the Supes give us an election? I think they can do it if they really wanted to and it would go a long way in restoring my faith in County politics.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
I’m with you, Sam. We do have several qualified and well known candidates - we should have an election.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
OMG. Had to post this. From the woman who vanquished Mike Carona(Shirley Grindle)….:)
“County government is being controlled by a handful of Republican thugs who think they can dictate who runs for office, who gets endorsements, who gets backing. This county government are non-partisan offices and there is entirely too much partisan politics by people in the Republican Party, who know who they are, they know who I’m talking about.”
Time for an election of our new Sheriff?
January 29th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department needs someone who knows what it’s like to be a cop! That’s the problem they had when Mike “Skippy” Carona took office, he was never a cop. “Skippy” never worked a midnight shift or had to celebrate a Holiday early with his family because of shift work. I think the men and women of OCSD want a boss who has walk in their shoes. What I don’t understand is why waste the time looking for someone, when there are several good candidates, who have already ran for the position, in Orange County?
January 29th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Sam… good points — thanks for bringing them to attention. As an outsider, there is no doubt that law enforcement leadership is the problem, not the dedicated officers who are out protecting the public’s best interests on a daily basis. The Supes have more on their plate than they may realize… the DA’s office has serious problems, similar to the Sheriff’s Department. What are the Supes going to do if the Sheriff’s Dept. gets a chance to clean house and shape up.. while the DA’s office continues it wayward ways of so called due process and the fair administration of justice via pick and choose the non-politically connected to prosecute or ignore? The Supes, the Sheriff’s Department and the DA have been warned for years about injustices and failures to protect those who cannot protect themselves in the OC… if they blow cleaning up this County now, then they all deserve to go down in history as corrupt politicians. Will anyone step up to the plate and do the right thing???? Don’t hold your breath just yet!
January 29th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
The Supes or their staff should review 24004.3 of the Government Code which outlines the actual requirements to be a CXalifornia sheriff…without an Advanced California POST certiification or full time California peace officer status within the last 5 years you cannot be a sheriff in California period…….you would think before they went nuts on a “nationwide search” they might have asked for County Counsel to research the legality of such a search…..the requirements to be a Sheriff are different from being a police chief….there is no experience requirement to be a chief……
January 29th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Yep, after this big dog and pony show I bet the BOS will settle with Anderson. Hunt will not get the job. He is on the outs with the BOS. Anderson is plug and play.
January 30th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Dear Orange County Residents,
It is now is the time to stand up and speak up for the best of the best. Lt. Bill Hunt is the best man for the job. He was endorsed the first time around by the men and woman of his Department. Not to mention our Election Law is something the Supes are breaking here, not to mention our taxpayer dollars. Let the men and woman of the Department decide on who they want as their next Sheriff, then bring it to the Ballot and let me vote on it. The right way not the wrong way like the way the supes are doing it on a National Search. I do not want some person who knows nothing about our County or the Department coming in here and messing it up more than it is right now. We have enough Court Cases against us. Look at what Anderson did. Why is he still the acting Sheriff? He broke the law going in uniform to a council meeting to speak against an issue. (Allegedly of course) Why are the Sups not looking into that? I will have to ask them when I return.
Regards,
Karen A Finn
January 30th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Sadly I don’t think this can end well for the taxpayers of the OC. At least Carona was fighting Moorlach and Norby.
Now the sups have spent so much of the tax payers money trying to take back what has been legally given to the OCSD retired and deputies.
The sups will appoint someone who will give them what they want which is to gut the OCSD.
Carona was the only one because he was elected and not beholden to them that could do it and he was doing it. But foolishly many of you turned on him. Once he was elected you should have supported him because at that point he was the only one who could stand up to Moorloch and Norby. But instead you kept attacking Carona. It’s like going to a carnival and while you are watching a shell game, some one is picking your pocket. The sups are picking your pocket. Moorloch and Norby are picking your pocket because it is not their money. It is yours. They do not have your best interests. They continue to waste the county money. I felt safer with Carona.
January 30th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Government Code may be right particularily under 830.2. Must be a “California” peace officer. The “Nation of Califonia search” LOL
January 30th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Dear ‘Karen Finn’,
The more I read of your posts, the more I am convinced that you are either, a) Bill Hunt, b) Tim Whitacre or c) sleeping with a or b.
January 30th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I for one will be furious if the BOS’ waste tax dollars for some country wide search and then sneak Martin in. First of all, Martin does not have the qualifications of other candidates. Secondly, he has a CONFLICT of INTEREST with Moorlach. “Hello” people do you not see the writing on the wall, Moorlach and Martin are buddies. Oh Boy, more corruption! What the heck is the matter with this County? I just moved here from another County to have to deal with this stuff. I thought I was moving to a better place. I feel I am living under a cloud of corruption. The BOS have some great local candidates. Why are they throwing money away for a national search?
January 30th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I am also with you Sam. Why is this search taking place? Why are the BOS spending money to do this? There are enough good candidates here in the OC. The BOS just wants someone who they can put in their back pocket . Bill Hunt’s past and present ethics are questionable. Anderson is still and always will be Carona’s man. Walters has a great record and is known for his honesty and integrity. Martin may be a good guy, but he has a conflict of interest with Moorlach and he does not have the experience and hands on ability that Walters has. As a citizen of this community, I do not see why the BOS can not see the obvious choice. I guess they need their puppet. It they do not support the right guy, I will walk to every neighborhood in my city with flyers protesting the BOS and their practices. We are a strong and powerful community and we will get things done if corruption continues.
January 30th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Dear Government code, your post was very interesting. So, this search is basically a waste of time and money? Gosh! Now you are telling me the BOS does not even do their research? I agree with the last poster, Paul Walters is the guy for OCS.
January 30th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
If Moorlach and Norby appoint Martin with the intentio of weakening the Sheriff’s union, they obviously don’t believe the old adage, ‘Nothing unites a diverse group of people as having a common enemy’
An outsider, particularly one who is viewed as a BOS puppet, will be rejected universally by his employees. He will have no credibility, he will not be able to bring any concerns or initiatives to them because they will be suspicious of his motivation and loyalty. Do you think they are stubborn and unrelenting now? They will be near impossible to reason with if the person doing the reasoning is someone they won’t trust.
January 30th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Hey Powerback:
I agree with everything you said. Walters is definitely the guy for the job. Martin’s list of accomplishments is anemic and people forget that he may have been over a lot of employees but there was a whole lotta guys higher than him on the org chart telling him what to do and how to do it. He may be a higher-ranking worker bee but he’s still only a worker bee. I don’t think he’d have the creativity, experience or brain power to change the place if the buck actually stopped with him.
January 30th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
There is no Moorlach/Martin connection! Martin met Moorlach and each of the other OC BOS members in their offices one time each. Martin was later invited to speak before the BOS because he has worked closely with the LA Co Office of Independent Review and has practical law enforcement experience with what they can do to assist police executives in providing a more professional product…….Martin is no morew alligned with Moorlach that with any of the other members, All of the other candidates have met with the Board so why aren’t they Board puppets as well? These statements are lies and are put out there by Martin’s competitors or their croney’s…Simply meaningless political attacks!!!
The fact is that Martin has never been officially asked his position on public pensions one way or the other and in fact supports defined benefit pensions for public workers period! He is not aligned with any Board member….because he may be preferred by one or more of the Board Members means nothing except that it’s a threat to the competitors…….The test will come in 2010 regardless of who is selected and the appointee whoever it is will have demonstrate that they have what it takes during the remaining term…..
Any comments to the contrary are false and are designed to simply shift focus off of his superior qualifications and onto nonexistent political issues….
Repeat them enough though and they become fact…….exactly the tactic Hunt used during the last campaign…….
January 30th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
And what have you been smoking, Government Code? No Martin/Moorlach connection? Ralph Martin is serving on a group organized by Moorlach to create independent oversight of the Sheriff’s Department. That is HUGE conflict of interest. And he has not been a commander for very long. And he is nothing more than a high-ranking cog in the LASD machine who is told what to do and how to do it by those who are higher than him on the org chart. Can he really run a whole department–lock, stock and barrel–by himself? He hasn’t done it yet, so his ability is a big question mark.
January 30th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Government Code,
You’re talking about the same Ralph Martin who was responsible for his Deputies surrounding a car in Compton a couple years ago and pumping more than 120 rounds into the vehicle, striking other Deputies and shooting up houses as well.
The OIR report and the Internal Investigation cited the fact that Martin’s Deputies hadn’t been properly trained in the last two years preceeding the incident and they were inadequately equipped as well. Martin’s response was to punish the Deputies instead of taking full responsibility for being deficient in his oversight of those under his command - just the kind of guy we DON’T need here in O.C. Typcial Bureaucrat…
Additionally, Martin’s 34 years of experience is where?… Los Angeles!!!
To the contrary, Bill Hunt as 21 years of experience within the ORANGE COUNTY Sheriff’s Department. He has sought out and worked every aspect of the OCSD and was endorsed by the rank and file over Carona, and by a HUGE margin over Martin in the last election. I believe they will endorse Bill Hunt again in the next week.
Martin is simply looking for a “swan song” for retirement by trying to get into the position of Sheriff on the back of Bill Hunt. Martin has ZERO understanding of the personnel issues, the facilities issues etc. here in OC. He also did nothing all those years Bill Hunt was trying to tell us all about the corruption from Carona. Oh wait, Martin did have a press conference in Santa Ana, one week before the election, parroting everything Bill Hunt had said all along - that was really “sticking his neck out” for the sake of Orange County…
We don’t need or want a condescending, back stairwell bureaucrat from Los Angeles, coming into our Sheriff’s Department. We need a man who has displayed the courage, committment and ethics on behalf of our County and the frontline Deputies within the OCSD. That man is Bill Hunt.
January 30th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Are you referring to ethics like those cited in the Attorney General’s report on the Greg Haidl marijuana coverup….I think your hero, (Hunt), was front and center in that debacle, or are you referencing the drunk driving stop and telephone call to Mr. Hunt that got the Hunt campaign worker during the last campaign that got the supporter a ride home and no arrest, or are you referencing Mr. Hunts trunabout from fully supporting Mike Carona, (his best buddy), only until Carona promoted him to Lieutenant and later refused to support him for heir apparent to the Sheriff’s Office and then Hunt demonstrated how loyal he was……or are you simply referencing some of the recent questionable bail recovery operations that Mr. Hunt has been involved in with law enforcement agencies in the Inland Empire!!! YEAH, Let’s support Bill Hunt, Strong Leader, Great Ethics, fine man…….
January 30th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Wow. This is turning into a real blog. Looks like most of us are on the same page, kind of
January 30th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Government Code,
Boy are you flinging the BS. Everyone knows the Carona indictment made clear it was Carona and Jaramillo responsible for the Haidl dope cover-up. The drunk supporter and former Deputy was just that - drunk when he made the call. No special treatment was given and that’s a matter of fact as well, but what are facts to Ralph Martin and his spin team?
As to your lies about any “questionable bail recovery operations” Bill has been invoved in, let’s see the evidence, Martin Spinmeister. Why don’t you give what you have to Peggy Lowe and she can do an article for you. I’m sure she would if you have anything credible.
Now, for some verifiable information, one has to look no further than Mission Hospital for proof that Ralph Martin has some alcoholism and anger management problems related to his wife. Uh ohhhh, the cat’s out of the bag…
Be careful before you sling mud - especially at a completely vetted man like Bill Hunt by everything Carona and his ilk tried to do to discredit him during the campaign. At least your “bail recovery” bull is a new lie…
January 30th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
5149.5 or should I say 918V XXXX You my friend are high…what group is Martin serving on that is directed by or organised by Moorlach ??? I say name the group, who is part of it and when was it formed and at what public hearing has these “group meetings ” take place. I say kick monkey and name names or go back to Tim and Bill and complain to them,of by the way WHY did Bill leave the Board meeting when Ralph adressed the Board over the O.I.R. Bill was on the list for public comment ???? I guess as soon as Martin threw down Bill could see he is out of his league.
January 30th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Ok…. so you all have your special choices but who was up there at the board of sups meeting when they are talking about taking away your retirement?
Did any of these picks have the ca hones to say anything at the BOS meeting about how demoralizing it is for a retired person to know that his retirement is on the line.
Was Bill Hunt up there? Did he speak up????
January 30th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Jack Anderson was there and did speak as to the ramifications of changing the retirement by the BOS. He did a good job.
January 30th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Ralph Martin seems like a nice enough guy but come on guys he’s a career LA dude with a comb over. I mean that is so 60’s. Come on really. How is he suppose to lead our young troops with their wrap around sun glasses and all with any degree of credibility? With that said. OK. I’m a Hunt fan. To Government Code:
I don’t know why that stuff keeps coming up. It was investigated over and over again. With Carona having the axe to grind as he did I suppose had it amounted to anything rather than heresay from those not involved Hunt would have had his personnel file dinged. Detractors try and get around that little inconvenience by saying that is part of the reason he got demoted. Hunt’s demotion was solely a result of his campaign activities which Team Carona (Anderson included) found objectionable. (shock) Plain and Simple.
P.S. I had to go back to one of Peggy’s Blogette’s to copy and paste that little thought.
In the end, don’t we all want an election?
January 30th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
I have to agree. Jack Anderson stood tall when he could have sat quietly in hopes of garnering favor with the board. Whatever your opinion of Anderson, he followed the most important rule of leadership 101…Take care of your people!
This is the second time Hunt failed to show up and support the deputies. The first time was during measure D when the deputies fought on their own. The second time was Monday when their pensions and livelihood were on the line and once again No Bill Hunt!
Martin wasn’t really there during either time and demonstrated the fact that he’s an outsider with little support or understanding of the men and women he hopes to lead.
Walters is a highly respected guy, but he was a no-show as well. What gives?
Way to go Chief Anderson! If you continue to support your deputies you will send a message of what a true leader is!
January 30th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Hey Obi. Hunt had 5 of his supporters at the BOS meeting. Hunt was tied up with interveiws with the media. We saw Anderson in the dark recesses of the gallery. Try not to make something of nothing.
January 30th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Didn’t any of you want to vomit when Norby said he wanted this to go to the voters because that’s who should decide who becomes sheriff?
How can anyone believe this board has any credibility? All they have to do is put a measure on June’s ballot to allow for an election next November. But then they wouldn’t get a chance to appoint their stooge and have him run as the incumbant. Do you think their Lincoln Club handlers would ever let them take this to the voters?
January 30th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
I watched the meeting and thought Anderson did a good job too. Give the guy credit. At least he spoke up for the department.
January 31st, 2008 at 9:16 am
Hey OrgCo50! Thank you for explaining what people who spew personnel stats obviously do not understand. You are so right. For those still not clear on the concept, let me break this down into anatomical terms:
Let’s say the Sheriff’s Department is a human being. The Sheriff is the brain. To that end, Ralph Martin is a small cluster of brain cells whose task is to control the left foot. He may do that exceedingly well but the problem is that in order for the body to continue to thrive and function optimally, it needs the whole brain. Because not only does the brain make sure everything is operating efficiently within its own physical environment, it must also defend itself against and coexist with outside factors. This requires ‘the whole package’—something Ralph simply does not have.
January 31st, 2008 at 10:30 am
5149. At the last BOS meeting a speaker mentioned a possible “conflict” as concerns Moorlach and Martin. Moorlach was quick to deny any such committee although he acknowledged that it was reported in the LAT and OCR. Moorlach didn’t volunteer his relationship with Martin either. Guess he does not was to be in a position of having to abstain should Martin’s name come up in any future selection process.
January 31st, 2008 at 10:54 am
Sam-I guess if we can’t believe Moorlach, who can we believe, right? Riiiiiight! I’m glad someone brought it up, though, as these guys tend to hope that their wheeling and dealing never sees the light of day. God forbid the public thinks the whole process has been rigged!