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Sheriff refuses to hand over surveillance tapes to supervisors
January 23rd, 2009, 7:48 pm · 101 Comments · posted by NORBERTO SANTANA JR.
County supervisors Chris Norby and Janet Nguyen want to see the surveillance tapes recorded when sheriff’s officials used cameras to zoom down onto their notes during a Jan. 13 board meeting.
Yet Sheriff Sandra Hutchens has refused, saying she would only allow supervisors to view them, citing security concerns for undercover officers as well as an ongoing investigation. Hutchens said she is considering seeking her own lawyer to defend the department’s position.
County Counsel Ben de Mayo declined to discuss just who owns the videotapes that are produced by a Sheriff’s booth in the Hall of Administration that has several cameras focused in on public meetings.
Reacting to unspecified threats, sheriff’s officials came out in large numbers to the Jan. 13 meeting, saying they expected large demonstrations from union workers, activists carrying unloaded firearms and concealed weapons advocates.
Both uniforned and plain clothes SWAT team members were called out to the meeting and placards were placed in the board lobby warning visitors that firearms were not allowed.
Concealed weapons activsts were incensed that three people were questioned by officers. And county supervisors joined the fray when they found out that security cameras were focused on their notes.
Hutchens has defended the increased security but not the unauthorized cameras focused on supervisors. She notes that the cameras only focused on two supervisors for under a minute and she has launched an internal investigation.
But neither county supervisor is in a trusting mood right now.
“For us being the victims of the snooping, they expect us to believe them?” Nguyen said. “It’s concerning that high tech devices have been used to snoop on what we do on the dais. This is the biggest interference in governent that you can get.”
“You’re snooping on my thought process,” Nguyen said.
Norby said Hutchens’ refusal to hand over the tapes means she should get ready for a large scale political warfare on Tuesday, which was already expected to be a hot meeting over the tapes issue.
“This is rogue activity,” Norby said of the refusal to turn over the tapes.
Hutchens said she had offered to have supervisors see the tape but could not allow supervisors to keep a copy because of security concerns as well as the potential impacts on an ongoing internal investigation.
“I had undercover officers in that boardroom who would be compromised,” she said.
Hutchens said she would more than likely seek an indepdendent legal opinion to defend the tapes instead of depending on county counsel. Because de Mayo also represents the board of supervisors, Hutchens said he might have a conflict.
Hutchens said she was trying to work with supervisors. But would only bend so far.
“I found out about this. I reported it to the board. I’m being very transparent. Beyond that I don’t know what I can do,” Hutchens said.
Norby said Hutchens should expect a court fight.
“There will be a proposal that these tapes are our property and we have the right to request them at any time,” Norby said.
And given what he’s seen, Norby said he’s ready to oppose the formation of an Intelligence Assessment Center requested by the sheriff.
“I’m only going to approve this if the intelligence is shared with the board,” Norby said.
“This is our boardroom,” Norby said. “It’s not a jail or an interogation room.”
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DENA BUNIS, Washington bureau chief, 202-628-6381 or dbunis@ocregister.com
BRIAN JOSEPH, Sacramento correspondent, 916-449-6046 or bjoseph@ocregister.com
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Without a proper vetting process, and just because a female sheriff would seem to be sooo “diverse”, the supervisors selected, chose, picked, a less than qualified individual for Sheriff of Orange County.
Now that her true nature is being revealed, an insecure creature more at home in a society controlled by Hamas, she is instituting STATE CONTROL of the people of Orange County. Disarm the public and only allow the Sheriff’s deputies to be armed to “protect” the public (by taking videos of potential “enemies”. Can’t wait to vote this non-elect sheriff out of office, and the Supervisors who selected her as well.
Janet, sweetie, you don’t have a thought process.
Petty children, the lot of them. They are an embarrassment.
x-DEM, YOU MUST HAVE MEANT ISRAEL WHO RUNS THE ULTIMATE IN POLICE STATES WITH ALL THE OPPRESSION TO GO WITH IT. THEY OWN COMPANYS LIKE AMDOCS AND THE PHONE LINE SYSTEMS USED BY THE FEDERAL GOV’T. BESIDES WHO CARES WHAT THE BOARD HAS TO SAY OR LET ALONE THINK ANYWAY, THAT NGUYEN CAN BARELY SPEAK ENGLISH ANYWAY.
I think if an average citizen did this, he would be on his way to prison. Probably with a strike. This double standard needs to stop. It sounds like what the sherriff did is against the law. Why does she have to spy? What does she fear? If what she wants is so right, it probably would not be such a hassel. She needs to be put in her place. What she did is unAmerican. Looks like something a terrorist would do.
1. Adjust the cameras so that they cannot focus on the notes.
2. Let the supes watch the videos in closed session or two by twos
3. Destroy the tapes if need be.
4. Reassign the camera man to the security cameras at the dogpound
Problem solved.
But no, we have to have a major scandal about it and blow it up into a huge power struggle.
Here is something for both sides to think about. The sheriff, as an elected official (I know she was appointed, but stay with me) does not have to obey the BOS. The BOS may use the sheriff’s office for security, but could just as easily use private security, and they can cut the sheriff’s budget to the bone–if they so choose.
Both sides would be much better off the played nice and quit running around with Scissors
Our newly appointed sheriff is on a serious power trip, she needs to drop her ego and focus on fighting crime. Calling out the SWAT team to a public meeting sounds a little extreme, what a waste of time and money. Refusing to give county officials tapes of their own meeting is absurd, what is she trying to hide?
Of the People
By the People
For the People
Oh ‘hit I forgot this is OC
sandra why are you so insistent on butting heads with local government and citizens! this is not LA County! It is your privilege to serve us and our community, not the other way around. as chief law enforcement officer, yes your job is to enforce laws and public safety, but you also need to use discretion to meet the standards of the community, law enforcement DOES still have discretion. And not allowing heads of government to view video of their own chambers and meeting because you’re concerned camera blindspots would be revealed is absolutely ridiculous, especially when hints of improper use of those cameras has been made, the threat to security is negligable and this issue should without question supercede that. What happened to rebuilding trust in law enforcement in OC, I just don’t see you doing it. What is the first rule of community oriented policing, developing a good relationship with your community! so political leaders of OC, now that we have a little time, lets start searching the field for real candidates to sponsor for the next election. Sandra you could use this time to redeem yourself, if this is a command issue, take command, you need to learn compromise with your fellow government leaders, you need to project an image of unity and trust to the general public, you need to change the image of police state. you need to use discretion in order to build ties with the community, and yes you do have it whether you think so or not.
haha sorry everyone for the rant, but it seems so easy, she could have done really well here by just following simple steps, granted ocsd is huge, and pressure from all sides, but hey thats the job!
The tape is now evidence of an internal investigation. Janet and Chris will just have to wait. My question is why are they to concerned about it? One can only speculate. Maybe they were doodling or making a grocery list? Maybe they were sending mash note to one another? Who really cares????
The Sheriff advised them of the matter.
The Sheriff launched an investigation in to the matter.
When the investigation is complete, All will be known.
Sounds like the Sheriff is following protocol and doing the right thing.
You go girl!
Who does Hutchens think she is? The crowned Queen of OC? Norby and Nguyen should go to a judge and demand that Queen Sarah turn over the tapes! If not, JAIL HER! She has no right to hold those! Norby and Nguyen were the victims! They have a right to know whether their notes were compromised. What is Queen Sarah trying to hide? WHAT ELSE IS ON THAT TAPE? And what is stopping her from having her goons alter those tapes? Go after her Chris and Janet! She can’t push you around! She answers to you. Not the other way around!
Right on “Oh Well” the new Sheriff has my vote.
focused in on my thought process…………lololoLOLOLOLLlolololololololollololololololol, nguyen…..u never cease to amaze me. Yes, I have seen the tape, as the camera focused in on you i began to see images of, question marks, literacy for dummies novels, little engine that could books, play dough, and flash backs of you as a child looking @ power lines wondering if they would affect your upbringing.
Hey here is a thought.
It happened in Santa Ana. Maybe the Sups should complain to Chief Paul Walters…have SAPD get a search warrant to seize the damn tapes from the Sheriff. Wow…what a spectacle… Santa Ana cops invading the OCSD at gunpoint, grabbing the evidence. There may actually be a technical crime here…if the Sups didn’t authorize the cam…don’t know… not a lawyer. Still….
What fun!!
Hey Norby, why dont you just give the Sheriff her termination notice. Youre absolutely correct, …council chambers are not the property of the Sheriffs department, and neither are those tapes. The information that may be contained on that tape is property of the board, and does not belong in the possesion of the Sheriff, and or her department. This is the very reason why citizens of Orange County expressed from the very beginning that Sandra Hutchens was not the candidate for the job as Sheriff. These very acts is an indication that the Sheriff can not be trusted any more than the last Sheriff. She violated a trust, and most of all the confidentiality of your chambers. Forget the law suit, just terminate her, and bring in Lt. Bill Hunt to carry out the remainder of her term. This is a proven fact that she is not only careless, shes rogue…the same way that she murdered that innocent man when she was employed in LA. Give her the hardest hit she deserves. GET HER OUTTA HERE! Please.
“Janet, sweetie, you don’t have a thought process.” I love it. Sheriff Hutchens, rock on with your bad self!
OC Observer,
A judge may order a person to be incarcerated in the county jail after sentencing, due to flight risk, or a failure to appear for previous court dates. This is called a remanding order, which mandates the person to be incarcerated by the Sheriff. With that in mind, the judge would order the Sheriff to be remanded to the Sheriff! The Sheriff could then assign her housing location, probably her home. Consequently, I don’t think this is a good idea.
The supervisors were right to feel that their notes were private and there should be an investigation to determine if their right to privacy was invaded. If the cameras only panned by, most would say no foul, but if the Sheriff or someone else is trying to snoop, they’re OUT!
For those who attacked Nguyen, it seems that you don’t like her because she is Asian and not that good looking, both of which she has no control over. I don’t know her or her political stand or whether she speaks English well. But I do know that she was good enough and smart enough to run a sucessful campaign and get elected to the BOS. And just because she may speak English with an accent , does not mean she thinks with an accent. Remember being smart is not the same as being good, decent, and kind. Those who belittle her only attack her personally for her appearance, but they have nothing to say about her job performance. That shows how shallow and thoughtless these people are. There are plenty of American born who are nothing but dead weigh for society. I may or may not like Nguyen but I would judge her by her deeds.
Whooooaaaaaaaaa, wait a minute. If anyone OWNS these tapes, it is the people. That would also include the people who asked for the tapes to begin this whole stupid grandstand powerplay.
I don’t know who looks more like the village idiot here. I mean, there are so many to choose from between the Power Ranger, the Bobbsey Twin and Sandy. This whole county is looking like a laughing stock. Thanks for making my day, OC Register. You are the best yellow journal on the stand. Too bad you are not worth the 75 cents you jacked your rag up to.
One last thought. For those whom ask whats the concern, heres the answer…none of our business nor the business of the Sheriff. Just maybe their ( BOS ) keeping score on how lousy she is, and of course since the Sheriff is unable to get ahead of the game she spys, and intimidates the public with a show of force utilizing the swat team. The Sheriff should already know by now that shes got an obligation to answer to the public for that is why we have county supervisors elected by the voters of Orange County, to represent us. It seems to me that Sandra Hutchens may have been on here 4th strike, going for her fifth, when she decided to violate the trust of the BOS and us citizens. I wont forget the remark made to me by an officer at the Aliso Viejo sub-station when she insisted that they were a paramilitary force and had the legal discretion to bend the law if deemed necessary to do their job. Not to mention that she states that under the PATRIOT ACT officers are protected to do so. Talk about unconstitutional. I guess thats why we as citizens dont give a D*m about carrying concealed weapons. These cops are weak, they know they are, and thats why the show of force was present. Id love to digest myself on her shinny boots, and let her smell the after affects.
I don’t have much to say about the board of supervisors, except to say that Moorlach character looks like a child molester and Janet Nguyen is about 3 brain cells away from being a clinical moron. She is a lost cause.
I am going through the hiring process to be a OC Sheriff. I am considering pulling my application……..
I’m glad the Sheriff is sticking to her guns and not letting others run the show. I’m sure there our reasons why the Sheriff does not want the board to see the tapes, especially when there’s an on-going investgation.
Keep doing what you’re doing Sheriff Hutchens….WE SUPPORT YOU!!!!!!!!
I’m a former Orange County citizen, and read the Register every morning on the web to keep current on what’s going on at home. I’ve never felt compelled to blog about any story I’ve read, but this one is clearly calling out for comment. My question is what could be so important in the notes of supervisors that they are so up in arms about a camera focused on them for less than a minute? Did they have the nuclear codes in their notes, or as someone else suggested their shopping lists? This is so clearly a power-play on the part of Norby and Nguyen that I don’t see how it can be read any other way. The Sheriff has a job to do, she’s doing it, and she should be left alone to do it. Would you all rather have Corona the Corrupt back in office?
Ethically challenged sheriff - part II
I’m tired of reading about all her screw ups. The board of supervisors has created, or in this instance appointed a monster. Clearly, the sheriff has some control issues, what with bringing the SWAT team to the meeting as her personal entourage and than turning the board’s own cameras against them and than refusing to turn over the tapes. What a nightmare. How much time and money are we going to waste on this before we have to cut our losses. Write her a check and give her the gold watch. We can’t afford another ethically challenged sheriff in the OC. The board appointed her so the board must have the power to un-appoint her.
Go find Chief Walters and beg him to take the job before she takes control of the OC Register.
HASTA LA VISTA ORANGE COUNTY.R.I.P. WE LEFT A COUPLE YEARS AGO,LIFE ISN’T EASIER IN OTHER LOCATIONS BUT IT’S MUCH LESS POPULATED WITH PARANOIDS AND RANK AMETUER
ACCUSATORY SPOILED CHILDREN.IT WON’T EVER CEASE WHEN ALL THAT IS WORSHIPED IS $$$$$$$$$$$$$ AND PROFIT MARGINS.ANYBODY REMEMBER THE MERRILL LYNCH DEBAUCLE THAT INDUCED THE O.C. BANKRUPTSY?? SHORT MEMORIES IN THE O.C. AREN’T THERE,AND HISTORY ALWAYS REPEATS ITSELF.
GET A GRIP,WE’LL VISIT THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND READ THE BREWING STREET BRAWL NEWS FROM AFFAR…….WE DON’T MISS THAT TRAIN WRECK COUNTY.THERE IS LIFE A F T E R S.CAL.
QUALITY OF LIFE TOO.
wow…makes me wonder what the supervisors are writing in their notes that makes them so upset.
Here are my 2 cents; It appears the BOS really want to be Sheriff too, so just eliminate the position - legally or not and let’s move on as is their track record. I agree with some other posts regarding Janet and her lack of a thought process - at least a seemingly intelligent one. As to Mr Norby being ready to head for court, he should certainly know the way (his expenditures on his Homeless Investigation and the Hostile Workplace lawsuit against him a few years back).
No Sheriff or Chief of Police is going to be lead around the county/city by a ring in the nose via any governing body when it is contrary to law, Paul Walters included. The BOS is the boss, not Kings and Queens - no matter how they act out.
This action proved that sheriff could break the law, intruded into the privacy of people, and finally,
they might plan for obstruction of justice.
How can we trust the cops when even County
Supervisors are the victims.
Sheriff have betrayed the trust of people, and abuse
their privilege power. I believe the county should call
FBI for investigation of the abuse of the privilege power
from the county sheriff
First we have her telling the BOS. “We can agree to diagree”. Then as things progressively deteriorate for the Sheriff-annointed in that arena, a phalanx of goosesteppers arrive at the BOS meeting questioning and searching people wearing a “pin” that signifies their opposition to the policies of the Sheriff-annoint. Hutchins says it’s all about security. That’s like the bailiffs at the courthouse telling the superior court judges how things are going to be done. Then the normal SSO cameramen are replaced with some “ringers” and text messages and notes of two vocal opponents on the BOS are veiwed by these ringers. Then the unexpected. A public records request. Opps. Better tell the Supes what she has been up to. (like that’s not obvious) Now we better investigate ourselves (again) Now Hutchins won’t release the tapes because of the “security issue” of blind spots. That’s a no brainer just add a new camera. I’m willing to bet Moorlach is right. You can read fine print on the dais with those cameras. So no doubt they were trying to read Nguyen’s text messages. This woman is a train wreck. The Supes have no control over their unruly child.
I love this!! Now we have a new Sheriff who decides to pick a fight with the Board of Supervisors who selected her and controls her budget. I wonder how long she is going to last?
Say goodbye to Sandra Hutchens!
She was a lousy reformer anyway. LOL!
I love it. BOS you soooooooo deserve this. The Sheriff you picked is a complete moron. She can’t make a decision and has left a power vacuum at the Sheriff’s Department. Every idiot (Jack Anderson and others) beneath her is giving her bad advice and she keeps doing what they say. You created this monster and now you have live with it hahahahahahahahaha.
P.S. Janet my pet snail has more thought process than you. It speaks better ENGRISH too.
From one apparently corrupt sheriff to another! Seems OC isn’t able to get its hands on a clean leader to run that department! But that’s what public service is all about…….lamebrains with little common sense and egos the size of China who get power far more than they ever deserve…..they can do what they want and the citizens, who pay these holier-than-thou individuals, get taken advantage of, day after day.
another corrupt law enforcement official running the show. how are we expected to respect the police when stuff like this goes on more often than not?
LOL! You wanted her, you got her.
We need a non-cop type as our Sheriff. That’s obvious. These people rising to that office are so, so dysfunctional. Put somebody in there without delusions about the uniform and someone who can actually lead, please. Whether it’s an accountant, a butcher, a baker or a candlestick maker. Now her boys spy on the supes with their surveillance cameras and she swipes the evidence laying the groundwork for another year investigation that should take 4 hours. It is what it is. If the camera zeroed in on Norby’s and Nguyen’s confidential personal handwritten notes all the violators should be summarily dismissed from their jobs. Period. But the autocratic gun toting bureaucrats will try to drag this one out too by another unnecessary investigation and swipe the evidence so no one else can see it. The OIR is a joke too. All political appointments who are lap dogs for the sheriff’s office. More wasted money. Here we are back at square one. Just like with the jail deaths!
1. Der wat bout my CCW?
2. Van is mean
3. Does’nt da Sheriff know I’m the Godmother?
4. Pick up milk
Especially for Nguyen, she got the Sheriff that she deserves, who she voted to appoint. I find this so ironic. Don’t yell and scream too loud Janet. You seem to do that too often and risk being a loud mouth among other things.
“…security concerns for undercover officers…”
“…formation of an Intelligence Assessment Center requested by the sheriff.”
“…uniforned and plain clothes SWAT team members..”
In what appears to be her quest to intimidate, with SWAT and UC’s at the BoS meeting because of the ‘major’ security concern caused by unions and CCW rights folks, as well as her wanting to to build a spy apparatus, likely to watch political foes, if the camera incident is a clue, I think the new Sheriff has sealed her permanent retirement when the next election cycle hits. And God Bless her for it. It will not be too soon for my tastes.
My understanding is that the Sheriff discovered the snooping by sheriff deputies and informed the BOS of the issue. She launched an internal investigation into the Sheriff Deputies who did the unauthorized snooping. Because of the investigation, she will not (nor should she) release evidence in an ongoing investigation. She is willing to have the BOS view the tapes but the BOS wants to possess them right now. The BOS have not, at this point, even seen the video. Why don’t they take a look at it and then decide what to do. I can’t see anything wrong with the Sheriff’s point but the BOS just seem like they are wanting to fight EVERYONE on EVERY issue.
The Sheriff should give up the tapes as soon as Janet Nguyen learns the engrish language.
Hang on folks! These are elected servants of the people who are there to represent us, the taxpayers. WE pay THEM! What could they possibly be writing in their dais scribblings WE shouldn’t know about. All this concern about secrecy certainly raises a red flag in my mind. All that happens in those meetings should be discoverable to the PEOPLE of the County of Orange. I believe they still have their executive sessions for secret stuff that needs to be worked out. What could Norby and Nguyen be worried about that WE the VOTERS aren’t supposed to know!! Just wondering?
AND, it’s not YOUR boardroom, it’s OURS!!
HEY ocobserver! It’s QUEEN SANDRA, not QUEEN SARAH! If you’re going to attampt a slam, at least get the name right. My choice was Paul Walters anywho!!
I have a few comments and corrections about this article.
The Sheriff has said she will not release the tapes due to “security concerns for undercover officers as well as an ongoing investigation….“I had undercover officers in that boardroom who would be compromised,””
- Other people seeing the tapes will not compromise the investigation. The tapes are what they are. Releasing the tapes (if this is the reason for the refusal to do so) would add legitimacy to the investigation.
-As for the “undercover officers” (who by the way are not to fault for doing the job that they were ordered to do) were compromised when they started questioning and searching the members of the public that were in the BOS chambers to exercise their 1st amendment rights and practice this little thing we like to call DEMOCRACY.
Concealed weapons activists were incensed that three people were questioned by officers
- “Three people” is way off the mark. There were MANY more people questioned than that. Others were followed around, and one even to the restroom.
She has launched an internal investigation.
- “She” has launched an internal investigation? That’s nonsense. If she REALLY wanted to get the bottom of this, she’d bring in an outside, disinterested third party to investigate the camera issue as we the allegations of intimidation and misappropriation of resources.
“I found out about this. I reported it to the board. I’m being very transparent.
- I’m being transparent? But you’re not releasing the tapes to the public? NONSENSE!! That’s as transparent as depleted uranium.
Oh, and BTW, I am NOT a CCW holder, a union member, or any other party with a major stake in this. I’m just abhorred by the behavior of this unelected official who thinks she can do whatever the heck she wants.
In 2010, I’ll be voting for the other guy/gal AND contributing time/money to the campaign.
“Jay905 Says:
January 24th, 2009 at 9:11 am
Hang on folks! These are elected servants of the people who are there to represent us, the taxpayers. WE pay THEM! What could they possibly be writing in their dais scribblings WE shouldn’t know about.?”
I agree Jay. The bigger issue here is the fact that the OCSD personnel just happened to be focusing in on the two people who give the Sheriff the most grief and take her to task on her lame statements and her motivations. Coincidence? I think not.
Hey Jay. The Sheriff-annointed’s own press release says that the cameras were on Nguyen’s Blackberry for 30 seconds and on Norby’s notes for one minute. Look at the sweep hand on you watch and tell me that’s not a long time. After all wasn’t the replacement cameraman(AKA loyalist) suppose to be scanning for threats? A lot can happen in a minute and a half. Nguyen’s text messages and Norby’s thoughts and impressions as reflected in his notes are not public record. It was only after the public records request that Hutchins knew she had better come clean with the Supes. She will likely now throw another deputy under the bus like Command Staff has been doing for years.
It only appears to me that they can’t have “possession” of the tapes. Norby and Nguyen can view them at ANY time. What’s the big deal. Go look and let us know what’s on them.
I’m guessing Norby wants the tapes to play them at the board meeting so he can get as much mileage as he can for his future sheriff candidate of choice Paul Walters. This sounds like nothing more than politics. Plain and simple.
GO LOOK AT THE DAMN TAPES!!!!!!
This whole episode is a joke, just like the BoS… The deputy/investigator probably just got bored and started playing with the camera monitors to see what they could do. No malice, no conspiracy, just boredom listening to the preening peacocks for two hours. Don’t like it? Throw each of the bums, including the Sheriff, out of office at the first opportunity. 2010 can’t come soon enough.
What a joke all the way around!!! Let’s recap….
Norby who sleeps drunk in public parks, uses improper funds for motel rooms during his numerous divorces…
Nyguen can’t speak English, so I doubt whatever was on her Blackberry was in English….
It’s our (taxpayers) Boardroom, not the Board of Stupidvisors….
Moorlach is going to end up costing us tens of millions in lawsuits, and studies……..
Bates needs make up her own mind, and not be influenced….
Campbell is scared to shut the rest of the clowns down….
And thier choice in Sheriff Hutchens isn’t going as planned….
Three more years and I’m selling my properties in this podunk little minded, corrupt county and leaving!
Clowns to the left, Jokers to the right…Stuck in the middle again, Taxpayers!
Digger.
I must have missed that press release from the Queen of OC. Where did she say that Nguyen and Norby could stop by the sheriff’s office and view the tape(s)? Point that quote out to us, woncha? If what you say is true those would have been the first words out of the Queen’s mouth. In the meantime someone could easily doctor those tapes. And don’t say that can’t happen based on everything else we’ve seen and heard for the last 18 months. Why doesn’t the Queen offer to play the tapes at Tuesday’s BoS meeting. I thought it was all about openness and transparency. At least that’s what she said during her public interview for the job. Gee, how the worm turns again!
Hey, unknown, go ahead and pull your application. Go somewhere cool like Los Angeles County, they are perfect. Oh, wait a minute, that’s where Madam Sheriff and her current Command Staff come from ! Never mind, just pull your application, your grammer sucks and the job is not ” a OC Sheriff”. You would be applying to be a Deputy Sheriff. Good luck.
Campbell is still on the board? Darn, haven’t heard him quoted or even mentioned as present at the meetings in months. Great, Hi Bill !
Oh and just more thing. How are the tapes going to compromise undercover officers? I mean they are undercover right? Do they have their thumbs in their ears waving at the cameras? Brilliant! HaHa.
What is the real reason they are upset? Norby is the village idiot and Nguyen certainly isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. After some of Norby’s comments during the last meeting I tried to watch the Sheriff interviews again on the BOS web-site, but it’s not available. I’m not surprised that don’t the public to go back to see how they screwed up the appointment of the Sheriff.
Janet hasn’t an “internal thought” since she has been on the board.
harro everlybody!
Let me see if I have the right. The BOS owns the cameras, recorder and hard drive. She holding the Electronic files because of a internal affairs investigation?
They need to call US Attorney request their property back and then mention Title 18 section 1983 of the federal law.
GROW AT SET NOW!!!!!!
As far as “Investigations” goes. I feel comfortable saying that the California Attorney General through the California Department of Justice may well be considering their own investigation into the acivities of Sandra Hutchens.
Thanks to OCCCWS and the many other local, state, and national organizations that are insuring her actions are known it will eventually be impossible for the AG and the DOJ to ignore what is happening in Orange County.
Additionally, the more pressure OCCCWS and these other organizations apply, the more desperate she becomes and the more mistakes she makes.
She apparently does not handle pressure well which does not speak well of a Chief Law Enforcement Officer.
Hutchens I had high hopes for you but I now believe you to be an evil liar. Her officers took over the camera operation; they then singled out the Board Members that were asking pointed questions on her policies because they were told to by the Sheriff.
She now wants to control the tapes? They are not her tapes! Anyone could have filmed the people in the audience…and I hope someone will at the next meeting. As a matter of fact please focus on Hutchens and her staff of Gestapo spies so that we can read their lips when they talk to each other. That should not be a problem because she wants a transparent operation. Someone should sit behind her with a recording device and follow her deputies around. She says she has nothing to hide, so it won’t be a big deal. Is this why she instituted having a full time SWAT team? The only reason so far is to intimidate the law abiding public and perform evil tasks at Hutchens bequest. Does anyone know what her personal SWAT team is costing the people of OC?
I am confused at how the release of the tapes would compromise her SWAT team or undercover deputies? Were they not visible to the public when they were following people into the bathroom and questioning people in the meeting room? She is hiding more than she is admitting to. I vote Grand Jury, she is up to no good.
SHOW US THE TAPES Ms Hutchens and stop using the word transparency!
Only a month ago, at a previous meeting, she left the building with an entourage of eight (8) Lieutenants, Captains and deputies. Seven of them waited with her at the edge of the parking lot while one lackey went for her car. This time she was surrounded by twenty (20) and we are told that she believes the OC to be a safe place.
We are told she driver herself around which is not true. She does not have an assigned driver but always has her closest lackeys in the department with her and they always drive her around. So let’s see, she could have deputy at a deputies pay level drive her but instead she chooses to have Lieutenants and Captains drive her around. How is that cost effective? Hutchens does not speak the truth; she is a politician and as such plays with words.
Her deputies are now talking about how the department is going downhill with her at the helm. Moral is dropping and that is never a good thing. These deputies are good men and women that deserve a strong and honest leader. She is now spending more of her time preparing for the upcoming election instead of taking care of running her department.
I am a former resident of OC and am so happy I left life behind the Orange Curtain.
I can tell you that national commentators believe OC is a joke, good for laughs and a world all its own without any connection to the rest of the world or reality. LOL!
Nefarious Says:
“Her deputies are now talking about how the department is going downhill with her at the helm. Moral is dropping and that is never a good thing. These deputies are good men and women that deserve a strong and honest leader.”
That’s an excellent point, and a sad commentary. My sympathies go out to the rank and file of the OCSD.
For those defenders of the Sheriff, let’s clear something up right now. She did not “discover” that there had been spying on the Supervisors. She called the two Supes when she was faced with a Public Records Act request filed by OCCCWS and realized that the truth would come out. Now she is using bogus “security issues” to deny the public the right to copies of those tapes (in violation of state law). Could it be that there is much more on those tapes that she doesn’t want us to find out? Could it be that it documents the violation of civil rights by her SWAT team? Could it be that it show that individual citizens (not just Supes) were zoomed in on for purposes of identifying her political oppontes for further investigation and intimidation? This Sheriff has stepped way over the line into totalitarian behavior. A State or Federal investigation of her hijinx needs to start NOW!
If you want to fix the problem you need to get Bill Hunt to run in 2010!
http://www.billhuntforsheriff.com
Maybe it shows something like what Assistant Sheriff Mike Hillman said in this interview on April 30, 2008 with Frank Stoltze of KPCC. Hillman was with LAPD at the time.
Stoltze: This isn’t profiling, Hillman says – just good judgment. He encourages officers to introduce themselves to those persons of interest.
Hillman: Walking over to them and saying, “Hi, Mike Hillman, I’m going to be here with you. Want to make sure we protect your First Amendment rights. I’ll be with you the rest of the day.” Now, it may sound hokey. But what it does is, it tells somebody that we’re watching
The conduct by the appointed not elected Sheriff is outrageous. Sheriff Hutchins A.K.A. Aunt “B” has once again made the O.C.S.D. the laughing stock of all Law Enforcement agencies. She was appointed to this position to show mature,experienced leadership and to bring back credibility to the O.C.S.D. It is time that the voters take control and elect a Sheriff who can bring this Department back where it belongs. Any elected official who publicly endorses this Sheriff risks their political career. The voters do not support tactics that would be used in a banana republic to suppress public speech or dissent. How soon can we raise money for a viable candidate.
We’ve got tens of millions of dollars in budget shortfalls, hundreds of people being laid off, criminals on the verge of being placed back on the street, and this is what the Supervisors see as important. When will they get their priorities straight?
Patrol Deputy Says:
January 25th, 2009 at 10:17 am
If you want to fix the problem you need to get Bill Hunt to run in 2010!
http://www.billhuntforsheriff.com
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Ahaha. He probably wouldn’t do it just so he can see the Supes eat crow for years to come. As for that Hillman comment, if true, seems to dovetail precisely with what has been going on. Maybe the voters will send the LA folks back to LA where they belong.
Patrol Deputy,
I think Carona took care of any thought of Bill running ever again when he threw him under the bus during his criminal trial. I don’t believe for a second that Hunt’s caper with Haidel’s son had any bearing on Carona’a defence just a way to poke Bill in the eye. I do agree that we need to start looking at viable candidates with name recognition to defeat Aunt B in the next election.
This Board of Stupidvisors are a complete joke. This problem is a simple one to resolve. Rumor has it that believe it or not the unions and the CCW folks have begun some preliminary discussions regarding 2010 Board of Supe race. There may be some disagreement regarding canidates to run; but if that gets worked out……”NA NA, NA NA, NA NA, NA NA, HEY HEY…..GOOD BYE
Rocket,
Here is a link to the interview. Read it for yourself.:
http://www.scpr.org/news/stories/2008/04/30/18_lapd_may_day_043008.html
I think we need a non-cop as sheriff. After the fact we found out that Gates, Carona and now Hutchens were all losers. You really don’t need to be a cop to run the sheriff’s office. Better to have a political saavy leader with a strong financial management background who is very sharp and who is unwilling to bend the rules for the home team. Orange County certainly deserves better than we’ve had for the last couple decades. I think we’re looking in the wrong places. We need to broaden the scope and recruit outside LE. All of you know the definition of INSANITY: doing the wrong things over and over again but expecting different results.
ocobserver - unfortunately, state law requires that the Sheriff be a POST-certified law enforcement officer. It was changed when a highly qualified judge wanted to run against an entrenched Sheriff.
Hey Johntours. What was said in Carona’s trial? I must of missed that. Not that the any position taken by a convicted felon means much. Pretty funny though I just clicked Hunt’s website and he was calling Carona a liar as far back as 1998 so no wonder Carona want to poke a stick in Hunt’s eye. Haha. More interesting for the ccw/nra folks is this little gem in Hunt’s website:
• I will issue concealed weapons permits (CCW) to any applicant who is a law abiding resident of the county, meets state mandated requirements and is not prohibited by law from possessing a firearm. There have been less than 1200 issued CCW’s in a county of 3 million. The majority have been given to reserve police officers, judges, prosecutors and to reward political supporters. I will depoliticize the process and establish an annual audit to review each application to ensure the process is unbiased, non-political and equitable.
OMG…all of this is just unbelievable!! Great entertainment. If alot of this weren’t true, it would be funny.
Fascinating that the 2 members of the bored of stupervisors who are most vocal about this “taping” incident are also the 2 biggest imbeciles! Just read their comments. What complete morons!!!!
Rocket,
Just sworn testimony that Bill ordered official reports altered but you are correct the lies were a flying. I think two candidates had a pro CCW position. Aside from the CCW issue I think Aunt B has really stepped in with the taping of the board meeting. Who ever is advising her keep it up..great entertainment.
Ya JT. Agreed. Maybe hut! hut! hut! Hilman (the SWAT guy ) and Jacko(I’m in full uniform with a sweaty palm on my gun at SC City Council meeting but didn’t know it was illegal) are on the same page. What a scream. HaHa.
I think one or more prospective sheriff candidates for year 2010 have a plant or two on the exec staff at OCSD who are influencing Sandra into these decisions and she’s just not smart enough to sniff ‘em out. She’s been following directions all her career. Who could expect her to change now? She simply doesn’t know how to lead. You can’t get mad when you try to teach a 15 year old lap dog to be the alpha dog of the neighborhood and it fails to perform. You just can’t. But you can blame the ones who put her into that position and expected change and reform.
These two supervisors need to quit whining. Yeah, the SSO who did the taping should be disciplined for inappropriate conduct but an argument can still be made. Is there an expectation of privacy in a meeting that is open to the public? Is there an expectation of privacy in a board room when you know the meeting is being videotaped? Janet Nguyen is just mad because she GOT COUGHT ON TAPE text messaging on her cell phone and not paying attention to the meeting. I also think someone should remind Norby that opposing formation of the IAC if he doesn’t get the tapes could be construed as blackmail.
oclawwatch
The SSOs were replaced by deputies working under the direction of Assistant Sheriff Mike Hillman, coordinating the SWAT team’s intimidation efforts against members of the public who were there to complain about the Sheriff. The part of the tape where observation of the Supes occured is incidental to the real issue of violation of First and Fourth Amendment rights of CITIZENS who were targeted by the Sheriff and her minions.
“It’s concerning that high tech devices have been used to snoop on what we do on the dais. ” said Nguyen.
I think she means DISCONCERTING (an adjective). concerning is a preposition, and can’t be used in this context! ARE YOU OK, JANET? do we need to remind you, that you helped appoint this Sheriff!
So have the BOS put on this week’s agenda the firing of our current Sheriff. I hope so!
Aragorn
I’m no fan of the sheriff but I have to defend her on this one. There is a disciplinary matter pending over this. In the event the deputy who was working the camera is disciplined, the sheriff must retain chain of custody over the tape for legal reasons. The tape will be evidence. There has to be proper chain of custody for evidence to be admissible. She is on very firm legal ground here. It’s not like she is refusing to show the BOS the tape. The BOS should just stop sniveling, watch the tape & do what the feel they need to do, not make political hay out of it. She is more than willing to allow them to view it, just not take possession till the case is adjudicated.
As far as a deliberate attempt to spy on the BOS, this si nothing more than a bored deputy engaging in some inappropriate horse play with the cameras. Clearly there is an issue over the manner in which the cameras were used. Was there some grand conspiracy? Not a chance.
Stan,
How can you defend anyone much less the top Law Enforcement person in the County who uses tactics we would see from a occupying army not a CIVILIAN law enforcement agency to suppress peaceful decent and free speech. I for one don not want the O.C.S.D. on the front page of the O.C.Register because of poor leadership again. I don’t blame Norby or Nguyen for being as angry as they are.
shopper202 Says:
My question is what could be so important in the notes of supervisors that they are so up in arms about a camera focused on them for less than a minute? Did they have the nuclear codes in their notes, or as someone else suggested their shopping lists? This is so clearly a power-play on the part of Norby and Nguyen that I don’t see how it can be read any other way. The Sheriff has a job to do, she’s doing it, and she should be left alone to do it. Would you all rather have Corona the Corrupt back in office?
It doesn’t matter what they had in their notes. When someone tries to spy on their most vocal critics, it is abhorrent. If you can’t understand that, I don’t know what to tell you. And, while we don’t want “Corona the Corrupt back in office,” at least he never spied on his political opponents, or used the resources of the department to try to intimidated ordinary citizens so they wouldn’t speak up.
shopper202 Says:
My question is what could be so important in the notes of supervisors that they are so up in arms about a camera focused on them for less than a minute? Did they have the nuclear codes in their notes, or as someone else suggested their shopping lists? This is so clearly a power-play on the part of Norby and Nguyen that I don’t see how it can be read any other way. The Sheriff has a job to do, she’s doing it, and she should be left alone to do it. Would you all rather have Corona the Corrupt back in office?
It doesn’t matter what they had in their notes. When someone tries to spy on their most vocal critics, it is abhorrent. If you can’t understand that, I don’t know what to tell you. And, while we don’t want “Corona the Corrupt back in office,” at least he never spied on his political opponents, or used the resources of the department to try to intimidated ordinary citizens so they wouldn’t speak up.
Stan,
Great! she can keep the 90 seconds of the zoom. A PRA was submitted for the other 6 hours of electronic files. The investigation is internal, NOT criminal. Penal Code disagrees with you and the Sheriff.
O-Frame…. Some suggested reading would be rules of evidence & some administrative law.
John, They had some extra security at the meeting. Big deal. If something had of gone down & they were not prepared, everyone would be bitching about that. Its comical how some people are pissing their pants because some cops were at the meeting. No one was prevented from speaking. Get over it.
“My question is what could be so important in the notes of supervisors that they are so up in arms about a camera focused on them for less than a minute?”
text messaging and doodling bugs bunny cartoons instead of doing their job… that’s what.
Boy this county is ripe with drama queens. I’ve read statements describing Hutchens as an “Occupying Army” Give me a break you little girls.. Pull up you skirts and start acting like adults. What a bunch of losers, no wonder this county is falling apart, it isn’t the Sheriff’s fault, it’s the fault of the idiots who vote in dummies like Moorlach, Norby and Nguyen. Why don’t they review the tape as the Sheriff is offered? I’ll tell you why, because they are used to everyone kissing their behinds and doing exactly what they want and nothing less. The three spoiled children. Three jokes more like, get over yourselves.
I agree. I bunch of sissies having a hissy that they feel intimidated because a deputy sheriff looked in their direction. Get over it ya bunch of cry baby’s! I have never seen people cry so much about so little. I’d comment on Nguyen;s statements but I am still waiting for the translation. And Norby, you need to man up dude. Act like you have a pair.
Hutchens and Hillman really are the worst that could have happened to this department but let’s face it, this is a nothing matter that could be resolved if Norby and Nguyen would just review the tape on her terms. Both of them are big babies and I’m sure they’re taking their cues from Moorlach. This is a drama queen circus. Norby should be wearing a dress at the next board meeting and Nguyen, well she should pay for an interpreter.
“brianguy Says:
January 27th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
“My question is what could be so important in the notes of supervisors that they are so up in arms about a camera focused on them for less than a minute?”
text messaging and doodling bugs bunny cartoons instead of doing their job… that’s what”.
Back at you brianguy ““My question is what could be so important on the tapes that Sandra Hutchens is so afraid to release them?”
“Stan Switek Says:
January 27th, 2009 at 7:21 am
O-Frame…. Some suggested reading would be rules of evidence & some administrative law”.
I HAVE read the Rules of Evidence and some Administrative Law.
O-Frame is right.
Joe Arpaio for Orange County Sheriff ASAP!!!!
Not in 2010 NOW!!!
Hey Stan!
You might want to read the Brown act too:
54953.5
COPY OF RECORDING:
Public may obtain a copy, at cost, of an existing tape recording
made by the legislative body of its public sessions, and to listen
to or view the body’s original tape on a tape recorder or
viewing device provided by the agency.
# Stan Switek Says:
January 27th, 2009 at 7:21 am
… No one was prevented from speaking. Get over it.
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No one was physically blocked from the podium, if that’s what you mean. But at least one speaker (and probably many more) was “encouraged” by ranking OCSD members to modify their speech to be less critical of the Sheriff, after being frisked, followed, and otherwise strong-armed. There was MUCH more that went on behind the scenes than has so far seen the light of day. It will be revealed in due course, and when it is be prepared for more national headlines as our second Sheriff goes down in legal flames. I just hope it happens sooner than later, because the damage this lady is inflicting on the Orange County lifestyle is mounting by the day.
Nice Job,
You are full of hot air. Man up for once in your life. No one was prevented from saying anything. Stop being such a sniveler.
what a bunch of thugs. OCSD tries to post fake messages on the message boards and has it’s own link to their PR site and still nobody likes them.
there has got to be a way to get the national guard in here. We can’t get Carona behind bars, the sheriffs are out of control, TRack won’t file charges on anyone when he should, OCSD is in charge of jail house gangs which is called conspiracy and racketeering…
We need some serious help behind the Orange Curtain.
Right to keep and bear arms, right to free speech, right to privacy, the right to petition the government (like at the BOS)…blah, blah, blah.
Who needs any of these anymore now that we have a enlightened, elite centralized governement to take care of us?