The nine finalists for sheriff
May 9th, 2008, 1:58 pm · 83 Comments · posted by Martin Wisckol, Politics reporter
The nine finalists for sheriff, as recommended by the county’s headhunter, will be discuss at Tuesday’s supervisors’ meeting. Here’s the agenda item.
They are Glendale Police Chief Randy Adams, OC Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson, Salt Lake County Undersheriff Beau Babka, San Bernardino County Undersheriff Richard Beemer, retired OC Sheriff’s Lt. Bill Hunt, Anaheim PD Deputy Chief Craig Hunter, retired LA County Sheriff’s Division Chief Sandra Hutchens, LA Sheriff’s Commander Ralph Martin, and Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters.
May 9th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
A few observations:
1.Why nine? Why not 10 or 8?
2.The only missing person is the retired LASO sergeant who was on the ballot in 06. What happened to him, I thought he was guaranteed an interview?
3. Hunt appears to be the only candidate who doesn’t have command experience.
May 9th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
well musing they even left a 30+ year veteran off in favor of Hunt go figure Moorlach already knows who he wants so he can pull the strings on
May 9th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
APD Deputy Chief Hunter is a great person for the job. He is well qualified and has plenty of experience for the position. The citizens of OC expect a new qualified applicant from within this region that has never been under the influence of Corona.
May 9th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
DIdnt Hunt chose early retirement due to the unfavorable relationship he had with Ex-Sherrif Corona? I think Bill Hunt had a good running to be the next OC Sherriff, but because of the dishonesty of Corona and his unfavorable tactics, Bill Hunt decided to step down rather than work under him.
Welcome Back Bill….look forward to seeing you on the ballott again!
May 9th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Can the OCR ask Moorlach when he wants to swear in Ralph Martin as the new sheriff? This is a joke! why not have a special election? Oh, I forgot, Bill Hunt would probably win.
May 9th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Is this the same Sandi who worked Lynwood New Years eve and killed a guy in his backyard for shooting a gun in the air???? I think the last name was not Hutchens but this happened in 1980/1981 and this was a gid sh– sandwhich for our Department….as a matter of fact this shooting (and believe me this was not a good shooting) changed alot of poicies from Sherman. If this is the same Sandi the County of Orange bettter dig a little deeper into her background and let ALL the skeketons come to light. O
May 9th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Seems real funny to me that you keep hearing Moorlach’s name mentioned and he seems to be running the show. Where are the other 4 board members? Do they have a back bone? Moorlach thinks he’s running the show, because the other BOS are weak! Sounds like Moorlachs going to get his puppet. How the next Sheriff has some B@lls.
May 9th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Hm. Interesting. Almost what I expected. Three from LA , one from San Berdo, one from Utah and three OC guys. All except two are retired or close to it. Three all told have supervisory experience in a large jail system. Of those two, that experience was 15 years ago. One is a politician that ran for Sheriff and US congress. Lost both. One is a Carona prodigy. One endorsed Carona as an official. All but two don’t like their own Department. Only one had the courage to lay his career on the line and garnered the collective wisdom of 100,000 voters. Now we have 5 making that decision.
May 9th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Give us someone who is not already a run down retiree, who comes from inside OC, and from a respectable department. Send us Chief Hunter. He has managed a jail and is a real cop with a proven track record.
May 9th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson has shown what it takes and has earned his place as Sheriff. He has brought transparency back to the department and is well on his way to cleaning the department up and reinstating the image of pride that the department deserves.
As far as transparency. Jack Anderson was for it before it was the “in” thing. Being the first deputy to institute dash board cameras on OCSD cruisers.
Acting Sheriff Anderson should remain in office and then we can let the residents of Orange County vote in 2010 on whether he did the job we all expect him to do!!
May 9th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Why does the summary designate that eight candidates were being recommended, but nine ended up on the list. Is this a tryo, or did Moorlach’s boy not make the cut and need to be penciled in?
I smell backdoor politics already.
May 9th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Anderson is our man for THE Sheriff. He has the know how to make the right choices for OCSD. He is doing the right thing about the jail situation and making the right calls, he knows how PSD operates. Bringing in an outside person or someone who retired and now wants to come back is NOT GOOD for Orange County. ANDERSON FOR SHERIFF!!!
May 9th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
I, for one, would appreciate the sweet irony of Corona being locked up under the watchful eye of Sheriff Bill Hunt.
He would get my vote, again.
May 9th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Craig Hunter would have my vote. He is smart, hardworking, and ethical. Plus, he is a real cop. That is what is needed. Someone not from the OCSD environment.
May 9th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Bill Hunt? Bill Hunt? Oh yeah, you mean the fellow who is now supplanting his income by testifying as an expert witness AGAINST police officers and the cities that employ them.
He has been selling himself as a force expert for plaintiff’s attorneys for those suing the police….I have another name for it but won’t repeat it here. If you don’t believe me ask him….If he denies it remind him about the consulting he did for the narcotics suspect suing the LA cops.
Oh yes I certainly want Billy the Bully leading my department! Not
May 9th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Oh my gosh Jim, what a wonderful thought!
May 9th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Looking at the list I would say the best candidate would be someone from Orange County. Familiarity with agencies within the county would be extremely beneficial. Also someone who is not part of the exisiting culture. That leaves Paul Walters and Craig Hunter. Hunter is part of an inovative agency that is nationaly recoginzed as a law enforcment leader and he has youth going for him. It’s time to bring innovation and progressive law enforcement to OCSD. You also have to give him credit for even wanting the job. He’s up to the challenge.
May 9th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Anderson is the man for the job. Hunt would be the worst pick.
May 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
The worst pick would be Anderson as he cares nothing for the rank&file of the Department only trying to please Moorlach. The Majority of rank&file want Anderson out as he is wrecking the Department. Paul Walters would be the best choice to give creditibility to the men& woman of the Deparetment
May 9th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Musing points out that Hunt is the only one who does not have command experience.
If that is your baramoter remember that Carona came to us with command experience but his unethical, self serving mentality was our fall. Hunt may be the only one without command experience but he is also the only one who spoke up early against what we all now know was an unethical regime. He was the only one to say we needed to restore integrity and was the only one with a published plan.
He also was Chief of Police for a south county city, San Clemente who to this day supports him for Sheriff based on their working relationship with him.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
I worked for Sandy Hutchens two different times at LASD and I can say that I never worked for a better leader!
May 9th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Jack Anderson has done a remarkable job given the difficult circumstances of the department he took over. It seems to me that he’s acted with transparency and integrity, and made dramatic moves to improve the finances of the department, even when those moves weren’t popular with the unions. That’s the kind of leadership we need to make OCSD the shining example that it should be.
May 9th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
I point it out because it is true. He is the only one without command experience. It is not the only barometer and yes, he did speak out. Does that translate into a capable department head? Maybe, maybe not. I wouldn’t compare Chief of San Clemente to the Chief of Santa Ana PD or Assistant Sheriff of San Bernadino or LA.
Certainly ethics play a part but managing a complex agency requires skills that Hunt has not experienced. That’s not a knock on Hunt, it’s just a fact. I’m guessing the Board of Supervisors aren’t going to stake their reputations on an inexperienced guy who has never managed in a capacity even remotely close to the position of Sheriff.
May 9th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Chief of Police Services for San Clemente *IS* command experience. An OC Sheriff’s Lieutenant does the same job (in that context) that a San Bernardino Captain does.
And, as Rocket said…100,000 people in OC already voted for Hunt over Carona…and Hunt had the COURAGE to lay his career on the line to challenge an unethical and ruthless sheriff with almost no chance of winning. He did it anyway. Have any of the other 8 candidates even RUN for election? As much as we might not like it, the position of Sheriff *IS* an elected position.
May 10th, 2008 at 1:16 am
By Musings’ standards, only Bill Richardson should be running for president. How’d that work out for him?
May 10th, 2008 at 5:52 am
What happened to the story that was on the site last night re Coronia clone jack anderson calling for an investigation of Bill Hunt because invitations to a fund raiser for Hunt were sent on dept computers (which I would assume Bill Hunt, thanks to papa Corona, does not have access to). That should be the lead story - move Jenna’s wedding down a notch. This isn’t Texas as sweet as she seems to be and Orange County needs to be aware of this shenanigan up front and center. jack’o is forcing our County Cousel to make a decision that would, short sightedly benefit jack’o but if we keep this up front where it belongs all will see that the jack’o fruit didn’t fall far from the Corona tree. PLEASE. And all the while jack’o participated in the cover up of the suicide of the son of 2 deputies. Jack’o had his chance to show us all he wasn’t fruit of the corona tree. He blew it. BOD - is he really your favorite son?
May 10th, 2008 at 5:58 am
There are some good candidates on this list. I hope that one of the law enforcement professionals who have not been connected with the OCSD will be chosen. It’s time for someone from the outside to come in and put the department in order.
May 10th, 2008 at 6:20 am
Why give the job to Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters when his city has erupted in crime in the past two years? If he cannot handle Santa Ana, how will he handle the entire County of Orange?
Art Pedroza
http://www.orangejuiceblog.com
May 10th, 2008 at 6:59 am
Command experience? You’d think we were talking about Patton and the Third Army here. Any one of these people have the capability of being a good Sheriff. Carona the bailiff, G ED Galinski and now Wacky Jacky were “running” the Department. We need a good manager that is energetic, smart, will immediately increase morale and most importantly, have supervisory experience in our large 3 part jail system. That person must also have a proven ability to get along with the politicos that he works with and be able to bring together diverse interests. Hunt obviously did that with the City of San Clemente officials (and now many others) and he has the Firefighters interested in how the Department should be run. That there was striking to me. I think the problem Hunt will have with the appointment is that many OCGOP activists are still miffed that Hunt, a Republican, back in 2006 had the audacity to question a OCGOP endorsed Republican’s integrity. To add insult to injury, Hunt even had a reform plan allowing the public greater access for complaints against officers, publicizing discipline and allowing full access to the media. That probably sent chills down the spine of the powers that be. Yet the rank and file Deputies supported him then, and they support him now.
May 10th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Why eliminate a candidate simply because he is already inhouse? What does that tell the “rank and file” of the OCSD? Are they ALL tainted? Are they ALL going to be replaced? Of course not. Isn’t it possible Mike Carona tried to do something right–one last good thing–for the county by naming Jack Anderson as his replacement? Anderson has shown he can make hard decisions, he’s shown he can work with the BOS, he knows what it takes to command one of the largest law enorcement agencies in the country, and he has not shied away from any of it. Let him continue to show that he is capable of bringing this department to the standard we all expect.
May 10th, 2008 at 7:43 am
Paul Walters would be the best choice as he would bring Dignity,Honesty&Respectability back to the Sheriffs as this is something it Currently Dosen’t have the under the present leadership.Walters took over the police department when it had been completely demoralized by the previous Chief,like what the sheriffs department is going through now thanks to Carona. Walters was able to restore dignity &pride to the department and make it on of the best in the County.
May 10th, 2008 at 7:51 am
Hey Art. We know you like Martin from LA and not Walters. But Martin was the Region II patrol Commander in 2005 which encompasses the City of Compton. The training rendered to his troops cost Los Angeles County 1.3 Million dollars for what is now infamously called the “Circular firing squad” A quote from the LAT:
“A total of 66 bullets struck Hayes’ sport utility vehicle. Eleven bullets struck the deputies’ own patrol cars, and another 11 pelted nearby residences.” and that:
“The incident prompted a report by Michael Gennaco, head of the sheriff’s Office of Independent Review, who concluded that deputies violated tactical and pursuit policies. He described the scene as “mass confusion.” ”
Right afterthe shooting in 2005 he ran for OC Sheriff in 2006. Guess promotability was an issue. Add this to the fact that he does not have one iota of jail experience. If it came down to it, I would have to go with Walters even with his alledged financial problems.
May 10th, 2008 at 8:20 am
Hunt will never be the Sheriff of Orange County in case no one has noticed he is suing us taxpayers for a huge sum of money. The next Sheriff for our County will come from the outside like it or not. So what do we do with the Boards Decision ??? We act like adults and support the new Sheriff and give him( or her ) a chance to show their ability to lead this Department if they screw up then we vote them out of office in 2010. Does anyone know the guy from San Berdo ?? Someone posted that he might be the odds on favor is he the dark horse from the outside and all the other candidates were for show ??
May 10th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Just a reminder Brad Gates was a lieutenant when appointed to the position of Sheriff by Musick…He had much less experience than Hunt. I know the next post will be, “Well look how fxxxxx up Gates was.”
Some of the current contenders have baggage, San Berdu has major problems in it’s department. Anderson is a neuter, Hunter has issues, Martin is a joke, Walters life is a personal mess (a strong reflection of him), and the fact remains the position of Sheriff is an elected one…
Hunt was elected by the people of this corrupt county to second place, he has the support of numerous associations (AOCDS employees, D.A prosecutors, Fire), which none of the other contenders have.
In 2010, if Hunt doesn’t fit the job vote him out. You don’t wan’t an outsider who is clueless to what is still a good organization.
Also, Jim Williams, it’s a nice thought that Carona will be in our jail system, but he is in Federal court, and will be off to Lompoc Federal Camp to do 80% of his time, versus 50% in the state system…Good for us!
May 10th, 2008 at 8:58 am
I have worked for Craig Hunter and know that, when his personal life was in turmoil, and after he left his wife and handicapped son, he became “born again” espousing character and good morals. It is hard to work for a hypocrite and a vindictive manager. Perhaps that is exactly the type of person Moorlach is looking for because in my opinion, they both share those same qualities. As far as experience in an instutional setting, Hunter has none.
May 10th, 2008 at 9:34 am
To knows em all:
SBSO has great clearance rates, I can see that much on the DOJ website. You said Hunter had issues…havent heard of any. Looks clean to me and not a polictician, just a solid police professional in a highy regarded city.
Unfortuantely for Hunt, the field of candidates has changed since the last election, not a dig on him, just reality.
May 10th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Anderson is the safe choice. He hasn’t had any disasters on his watch, he’s saved the county millions AND taken huge steps toward fixing the jail. He policed south county - and kept it the safest area in the US. The captains trust him, he’ll be able to promote out of their ranks. If anyone else is appointed, the captains will stay where they are, and keep their civil service protections, rather than move up and be as risk of dismissal.
May 10th, 2008 at 11:27 am
I don’t see Andy Taylor or Barney Fife on the list. Maybe Buford Pusser can take the job. What is the name of the tin star in Arizona?
May 10th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Hunter has zero jail experience. By the time he figures out the names of everybody’s spouses it will be 2010.
Martin. Can you give an updated link to the resumes? If I post it, it will be 5 lines long and might go bad.
May 10th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
We need to find out which candidate will change the nature of the department which is “kiss it off”. If we can get a deputy to come out, it is difficult to get the complaint officially reported even with pleading to the officer. If a citizen accomplishes that, most of the time, nothing is done about the crime. We need to be listened to. We need to know how many crimes are actually solved from how many are reported from how many called out. Yes, a report card is needed. Officials do not like crimes to be reported as their stats don’t look good - makes Sheriff’s Dept and cities look not as crime-free as they would like so the unstated policy is to “kiss it off”.
Also, does anyone remember the group that endorsed Carona that everyone thought was law enforcement but was just using the name to fool us. We don’t want to be fooled by endorsements from phony law enforcement groups again.
May 10th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Hey, Pedroza, go back to your pitiful “slam book” excuse for a blog. Blaming Walters for the mess that is Santa Ana is hardly a constructive argument. Let’s also hold Bratton to the fire for “creating” the problems in South-Central, ooops, I mean South LA.
You are just a whiny racist.
May 10th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
I would say Walters is not a good choice for three big reasons.
1) He openly endorsed Carona in the last election and divorced his wife for a deputy( whom he married) who apparently had a husband who is still at the OCSD.
2)He has changed his political affiliation at least 3 times depending on which job he is applying for ( He lost OCSD,LAPD,Marshalls,etc) I dont want anyone who changes their stripes this much.
3) Santa Ana is terrible and Walters double dips his salary. He “retired” never left his office and gets paid twice his old salary, what a joke and an example of the perceived corruption we need to eliminate.
May 10th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
There are some very qualified professionals being considered for sheriff; Walters, Hunter, Martin, and several others, but please do not put Anderson in the same category. He was and is an *ss clown.
And Boot….. your pathetic. Hunt is suing us. Wow!! Your daddy caused all this and pussies like you allowed it to occur while ethical men and women were forced out. Your a bottom feeder.
May 10th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Hunter is one of the best cops to come through Anaheim PD. Great integrity and very creative. A real problem solver.
May 10th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I have to agree with Sam. Hunter (Anaheim PD)has no jail experience or for that matter much patrol experience. He was a ‘blue flamer’ that was great at reading his bosses and mirroring their habits. Maybe a good second banana but not much of a leader. Has too much baggage.
May 10th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Jack Hanshaw you knowingly lie when you say “Hunt is suing us.”
Bill Hunt is not suing us; he is rightfully suing for the actions of the indicted, former Sheriff, Mike Carona. The obvious reasons for the suit is for retalitory behavior after being put on leave for seven months the day after the election and being forced to retire or take a demotion down to almost entry level just because he dared run for office and tell the truth to the taxpayers!
Because the office of Sheriff is a county seat, the Board of Supervisors and Office of County Counsel have to step in and defend yet another Carona defication upon the county regardless of the strong merits against them in the lawsuit. The County will rightfully lose this lawsuit as it should. However, the MO is to string it along as long as they can in hopes that an individual like Bill Hunt, won’t be able to keep up with their deep pockets towards attorney’s fees (courtesy of the taxpayers) and settle for considerably less.
You obviously know nothing about the lawsuit. Once again, Bill Hunt is standing up for principal to ensure the kind of retaliation he had to endure never happens again in Orange County and elsewhere. To not sue and win sends a strong message to subordinates in all county offices: “Don’t bother to stand up and expose corruption to the voters or else your Department Head will demote and fire you without consequence.”
Mr. “Hanshaw”, you are the pathetic bottom feeder here! The ethical men and women who were forced out had the courage - unlike you - to stand with Bill Hunt against your indicted little idiot who will soon be going to federal prision. All the more reason Bill Hunt needs to continue with his lawsuit to correct this huge injustice. Go crawl back from the rock you slithered out from under.
May 10th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
FYI: Anaheim PD has a good-size jail that also houses parolees waiting to go back to state prison. Hunter was the lieutenant in charge of the jail for a time.
May 10th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
John:
You are worse than an old woman. Most of what you state, as if you know, about Walters is not true. Don’t spread Bill Hunt and Tim Whitacre’s lies for them, especially without doing your homework first–makes you look like an ignorant pawn. As for endorsing Carona, if that was grounds to disqualify someone for a job there would be one hell of a lot of unemployed people right now. Did you ever stop to wonder why he endorsed Carona? It was as simple as: 1) The other candidates in the race were not even close to being qualified to do the job and they STILL aren’t, 2-Carona had a reputation for being vindictive and the agencies had to work together. Go back to your
old ladies and gossip amongst yourselves, everyone who knows the truth knows your post is BS.
May 10th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Actually everything John said is true. You can call it gossip if you want but in each case it goes to the character of the man, is relevant and should be considered when deciding if this man is appropriate for the position……People ignored Carona’s weaknesses and look what we got……..Labeling it gossip or trying to intimidate John with your comments is garbage……a ploy to brush off the truth
BTW Walters endorsed Carona because he was told to do so by the Santa Ana City manager or not have his DROP contract renewed….The Democratic City Council had been threatened by Schroeder to run Hispanic Republicans against them unless they played ball….Strong character!!!!!
Oh yes you may label my post as rumor, speculation or gossip but I got this version directly from the horses mouth….Walters…….
May 10th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
What I like about what is going on now, unlike the ‘06 runoff, is that the media is throughly involved in what is being said because the County Government is completely and totally in the public spotlight regarding what they are going to do. No OCGOP establishment back room deals, rule breaking or arm twisting with threats of destruction of political adversaries will be had here. No indiscretions swept under the rug to keep contributors happy. In short, no knowing enabling of corruption. There seems to be some good people with good intentions applying for the position. But as for any individual without OC Jail experience, I picture the Hogan’s Heros theme of Sgt. Schults’ eminent arrival at the barracks, everything is put away and the instant he leaves, everything is put back.
5149. Acutally everything John said in points one and two are accurate. You are a nice guy but no spin possible there.
May 10th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Jack is saying many good things right now and may just mean every word. Several times he has made it clear there is a new Sheriff in town and the old one with who surrounded himself with photos of himself with celebs is gone. Jack tells us he is no part of that old regime.
Why then has he allowed those punished, passed over and dismissed by Carona to remain in exile? Could it be he means not what he says? Time, and short time, will tell.
May 11th, 2008 at 12:25 am
i would support whoever ocsd’s rank and file support. they probably know who would be best for the agency. whoever wins, i doubt there will be an end to the drama. as long as public safety is not put at risk it definitely can be entertaining. why is it so difficult to find a good leader these days? whether its sheriff, police chief, supervisor, city council, governor, president, mayor, ceo, it seems like we dont ever have any decent candidates, and you just hope that the one with the lesser evils wins. why is that?
May 11th, 2008 at 8:19 am
Easy there Hanshaw. If you go and attack people on such a personal level, maybe some one might Google you for your prior connection to Carona. Paid those federal fines yet? No wonder you”re so mad at Carona.
May 11th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Rocket~ I didn’t deny that Walters endorsed Carona but, knowing the parties involved–including the new wife and ex-husband, refute that he divorced his ex-wife to marry a deputy’s ex. Sorry but it just isn’t true.
As for changing his political affiliation, again it’s not the change I refute but the reason given. It has nothing to do with changing for the job. Walters does not run his department with politics in mind. He won’t run the OCSD that way either. Up until he switched, in disgust after the 1998 elections, he has always been an R. He most likely would have stayed DTS (because he has a lot of other things that take precedence in his life) if it weren’t for the fact that he changed residences and had to fill out a new voter registration form.
So, I am simply saying that John’s post, mostly erroneous, is the one trying to build a mountain out of a molehill–and it smacks of lies that were started and proliferated by the Hunt/Whitacre posse.
So, I’m just asking, as it gets closer to the appointment date, that everyone keep an open mind and don’t believe everything you hear (or read.) The rumors, lies and innuendo are going to come out in full force against every candidate–that you can be sure of!
May 11th, 2008 at 10:37 am
We want the best of the best in the nation. We want SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO! He obeys and enforces the law not PC garbage.
May 11th, 2008 at 10:51 am
It would take a miracle for former OCSD Lt. Bill Hunt to get selected by a panel of 5 politicians who may have closets full of skeletons that they want to remain hidden. No one likes dissenters who have the fortitude to disclose mismanagement high in the command structure. Our 5 supervisors cannot risk giving a pesky “whistle-blower” the law enforcement power to expose them. It would take another miracle for Lt. Hunt to win in an election for Sheriff - it takes lots of money and BIG BUSINESS backing to win an election in this county. The only people more afraid of whistle-blowers than the politicians are CORPORATE EXECUTIVES.
Lt. Hunt will simply fade away and be forgotten, even after he stood up to a corrupt tyrant. When the higher-ups are not looking, Lt. Hunt will get lots of hand shakes and pats-on-the-back from his peers - unfortunately they do not pay the bills or place brave people in positions to further do RIGHT.