Sean Archer
07-11-2008, 04:32 AM
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local&id=6258162
By Eileen FrereSANTA ANA (KABC) -- Just days in office, Orange County's new sheriff issues new orders, announcing she won't use a team of deputies to protect her or even allow a chauffeur to drive her.
New Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens is making changes in her department. Hutchens is doing away with her security entourage and her state-paid chauffeur.
Click in the Eyewitness News Story Window above to watch the accompanying video to this story.
Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens is just over two weeks on the job, but she's already making changes, increasing the distance between her way of operating and that of former sheriff, Mike Carona, who resigned after being indicted by a federal grand jury, accused of using his public office to acquire cash and gifts in return for favors to friends.
Carona was known to travel with a security team of up to three people. Hutchens has chosen to do without.
"I feel like Orange County is a very safe place to live and work," said Sheriff Hutchens. "And just like any other citizen, I feel comfortable moving around the county without a security detail."
In L.A. County, Sheriff Lee Baca has a sergeant drive him to public appearances, giving him time to do work in the car while having extra protection.
Hutchens says it makes sense for Baca, since he has to cover a much larger area than she does.
"It would be a luxury to be able to get some of that work done in the car, but for me, I don't think it justifies having a person who could be doing a job someplace else, and we are short on personnel in areas, so I'd rather not do that," said Sheriff Hutchens.
Sheriff Hutchens says the savings is about $150,000 a year. That's how much it would cost to have a full-time sergeant provide security for her. The 53-year-old says she does carry a Glock 9mm handgun on her hip when in uniform. She's been trained to use a weapon for 30 years, since she started in law enforcement.
In 1980, early in her career with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept., Hutchens shot and killed an armed man.
"I had someone point a gun at me in pretty close quarters, and I had to fire my weapon," said Sheriff Hutchens.
Officials say when Carona was Orange County Sheriff, he did receives threats to his safety. Hutchens says an assessment was done, and so far she faces no threat, which makes her feel comfortable driving herself around.
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and one more.........
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ocsheriff10-2008jul10,0,5548737.story
Sandra Hutchens dissociates herself from the practices of her predecessor, Michael S. Carona, who used a security team and chauffeur. Her only protection will be a handgun.
By Stuart Pfeifer, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
July 10, 2008
Further distancing herself from the practices of her indicted predecessor, Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said she wouldn't use a team of deputies to protect her -- or even a driver to chauffeur her to public appearances.
Acting against the advice of some colleagues, Hutchens said she intended to drive herself to meetings in a county car, her only protection the Glock 9-millimeter handgun holstered at her waist.
Former Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona traveled with as many as three deputies, dressed in suits and equipped with microphones and earpieces.
Carona's security detail even had a code name for him: Braveheart.
Officials in Carona's administration said he needed the protection because of unspecified threats to his safety. But some in the department complained privately that the heavy security was the indulgence of a man obsessed with his own importance.
A federal grand jury indicted Carona in October on charges that he sold access to his office for tens of thousands of dollars in cash and gifts.
Hutchens, who shot and killed an armed man as a rookie Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy in 1980, said she didn't believe she needed protection.
"I've been having a lot of people tell me: 'You need a driver. You need a driver.' I don't need a driver. There's no threat against me," said Hutchens, who was appointed by the Board of Supervisors last month to replace Carona.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca has used a sergeant to drive him to public appearances for several years. The move allows Baca to work on the road and have an armed guard, said sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore.
Hutchens said she uses a hands-free device to make phone calls while driving. Assigning a sergeant to protect her full time would cost more than $150,000 in salary and benefits annually.
"This is a really fiscally conservative county. I don't think it looks right for me to do that," Hutchens said. "People are surprised when I show up places by myself, but they'll get used to it."
Hutchens added that assigning herself a protection team could cause unnecessary concern among the public.
"We live in a safe community in Orange County," she said. "We send the wrong message to the public if we have to have our public officials surrounded by entourages. Then what are we telling them?"
Hutchens said she would use a driver only if there was a credible threat to her safety. The department will still have deputies assigned to protect visiting dignitaries.
Wayne Quint, president of the Assn. of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, the union that represents deputies, said he was impressed with the way Hutchens had handled the job so far -- including the decision to drive herself to public events. "She's a peace officer," Quint said. "She's got a gun on her hip, and she knows how to use it."
stuart.pfeifer@latimes.com
By Eileen FrereSANTA ANA (KABC) -- Just days in office, Orange County's new sheriff issues new orders, announcing she won't use a team of deputies to protect her or even allow a chauffeur to drive her.
New Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens is making changes in her department. Hutchens is doing away with her security entourage and her state-paid chauffeur.
Click in the Eyewitness News Story Window above to watch the accompanying video to this story.
Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens is just over two weeks on the job, but she's already making changes, increasing the distance between her way of operating and that of former sheriff, Mike Carona, who resigned after being indicted by a federal grand jury, accused of using his public office to acquire cash and gifts in return for favors to friends.
Carona was known to travel with a security team of up to three people. Hutchens has chosen to do without.
"I feel like Orange County is a very safe place to live and work," said Sheriff Hutchens. "And just like any other citizen, I feel comfortable moving around the county without a security detail."
In L.A. County, Sheriff Lee Baca has a sergeant drive him to public appearances, giving him time to do work in the car while having extra protection.
Hutchens says it makes sense for Baca, since he has to cover a much larger area than she does.
"It would be a luxury to be able to get some of that work done in the car, but for me, I don't think it justifies having a person who could be doing a job someplace else, and we are short on personnel in areas, so I'd rather not do that," said Sheriff Hutchens.
Sheriff Hutchens says the savings is about $150,000 a year. That's how much it would cost to have a full-time sergeant provide security for her. The 53-year-old says she does carry a Glock 9mm handgun on her hip when in uniform. She's been trained to use a weapon for 30 years, since she started in law enforcement.
In 1980, early in her career with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept., Hutchens shot and killed an armed man.
"I had someone point a gun at me in pretty close quarters, and I had to fire my weapon," said Sheriff Hutchens.
Officials say when Carona was Orange County Sheriff, he did receives threats to his safety. Hutchens says an assessment was done, and so far she faces no threat, which makes her feel comfortable driving herself around.
================================================== =======
and one more.........
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ocsheriff10-2008jul10,0,5548737.story
Sandra Hutchens dissociates herself from the practices of her predecessor, Michael S. Carona, who used a security team and chauffeur. Her only protection will be a handgun.
By Stuart Pfeifer, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
July 10, 2008
Further distancing herself from the practices of her indicted predecessor, Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said she wouldn't use a team of deputies to protect her -- or even a driver to chauffeur her to public appearances.
Acting against the advice of some colleagues, Hutchens said she intended to drive herself to meetings in a county car, her only protection the Glock 9-millimeter handgun holstered at her waist.
Former Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona traveled with as many as three deputies, dressed in suits and equipped with microphones and earpieces.
Carona's security detail even had a code name for him: Braveheart.
Officials in Carona's administration said he needed the protection because of unspecified threats to his safety. But some in the department complained privately that the heavy security was the indulgence of a man obsessed with his own importance.
A federal grand jury indicted Carona in October on charges that he sold access to his office for tens of thousands of dollars in cash and gifts.
Hutchens, who shot and killed an armed man as a rookie Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy in 1980, said she didn't believe she needed protection.
"I've been having a lot of people tell me: 'You need a driver. You need a driver.' I don't need a driver. There's no threat against me," said Hutchens, who was appointed by the Board of Supervisors last month to replace Carona.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca has used a sergeant to drive him to public appearances for several years. The move allows Baca to work on the road and have an armed guard, said sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore.
Hutchens said she uses a hands-free device to make phone calls while driving. Assigning a sergeant to protect her full time would cost more than $150,000 in salary and benefits annually.
"This is a really fiscally conservative county. I don't think it looks right for me to do that," Hutchens said. "People are surprised when I show up places by myself, but they'll get used to it."
Hutchens added that assigning herself a protection team could cause unnecessary concern among the public.
"We live in a safe community in Orange County," she said. "We send the wrong message to the public if we have to have our public officials surrounded by entourages. Then what are we telling them?"
Hutchens said she would use a driver only if there was a credible threat to her safety. The department will still have deputies assigned to protect visiting dignitaries.
Wayne Quint, president of the Assn. of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, the union that represents deputies, said he was impressed with the way Hutchens had handled the job so far -- including the decision to drive herself to public events. "She's a peace officer," Quint said. "She's got a gun on her hip, and she knows how to use it."
stuart.pfeifer@latimes.com