Editor’s note: The above picture is from the O.C. Register.
The OC Weekly’s R. Scott Moxley has some reservations about new O.C. Sheriff Sandra Hutchens. To wit:
For example, on the day of her appointment, we learned, thanks to Christine Hanley at the Los Angeles Times, that Hutchens was the central figure in a 1980 lethal-force scandal that left one drunken man dead, two innocent bystanders with bullet wounds and cost taxpayers $1.4 million. According to Anything But Mexican author Rodolfo F. Acuna, then-Deputy Hutchens (and her partner, David Anderson) disobeyed an order to call for backup when investigating celebratory New Year’s Eve gunshots. Instead, the two deputies confronted on their own a large family after such a shooting. The pair fired nine gunshots into the family’s garage, killing Jildardo Plasencia, who had been holding an empty gun. They also wounded an 18-year-old man and a 3-year-old boy.
To make matters worse, when Hutchens was chosen the first guy to congratulate her was Ronald Cedillos, a rich Republican who used to be a prominent backer of none other than disgraced former Sheriff Mike Carona. Yikes!
Apparently Cedillos helped Hutchens behind the scene. In the picture above, you can see his hand on her shoulder.
The O.C. Register’s Steven Greenhut provided a few more details about Cedillos and Hutchens in the Orange Punch blog:
Cedillos is managing partner of a development firm that “specializes in the siting, entitlement, design and construction of state-of-the-art community based correctional facilities (CBCF) for both government agencies and private operators.” One of his project partners is Lou Blanas, the former Sacramento County sheriff who got in hot water for his concealed-carry policies. Hutchens already has announced new policies in that regard.
The O.C. Register’s Frank Mickadeit provided more information about Cedillos:
I’ve known Cedillos about three years. We have a mutual interest in politics, cigars and scotch. He is a moderate Republican with ties to the Pete Wilson and George H. W. Bush administrations. He was a California State University trustee. His business interests have varied over the years – mainly real estate and privatization of prisons.
Mickadeit goes on to explain that Cedillos got snookered by Carona, as did most of us, and he later regretted having anything to do with him.
Cedillos himself replied to the post on Total Buzz thusly, “I find it interesting that some can’t accept at face value that I supported a person whom I thought would do a good job and of equal importance, had no political indebtedness in the county.”
Perhaps. But I would advise Hutchens to stay far, far away from ANYONE that was connected to Carona to the extent that Cedillos was. At least now while she gets used to her new job. Any taint of Carona will hamper Hutchens’ ability to change her department. Why take such a risk?
‘Why take such a risk?‘
What risk? She’s already the Sheriff. I’m taking a wait-and-see attitude. As far as her rookie mistake as a Deputy, it was unfortunate, but unless there is evidence to the contrary, we must assume it was an isolated incident.
Personally, I’m more concerned about her stance towards CCW permits. Did I mention we should have stuck with Jack Anderson? Some say he didn’t go far enough in cleaning house, but corruption is like a cockroach.
SMS
WOW that must be some kind of record….what is it a week before you turned on this person that you supported?
I feel Hutchens will do a good job and will be so much better then that Loser ANDERSON who only cared about pleasing Moorlach.Of couse this didn’t do him any good as Moorlach didn’t even vote for him. She appears to have more leadership ability & integerity which Anderson was severly lacking.Rankand File morale has imporved knowing she is taking over and Anderson is OUT!!!!!
18vetern –
Don’t get me wrong. I like Hutchens too, even if her attitude towards CCW permits shakes me up a bit, which since (I assume) your name is an abbreviation for ‘veteran,’ I can only wonder why you don’t share my concern. Andersen did a fairly good job after being given a very difficult task; that’s why I thought he deserved to keep the job, but in the end I’d gladly take Hutchens over Walters as the latter would have just been a Carona carbon copy (say that three times fast)!
SMS
SMS,
I would not get too riled up about Hunchens desire to review previously issued CCW permits. Between Carona and prior sheriff Gates, their are bound to be scores that should not have been issued.
I know, I know, this is a touchy subject especially when people start parsing the constitution and the right to keep and bear arms.
The arguments on both sides are not worth getting into.
As you noted 18vetern might be a veteran. Even more so if he is a veteran of station 18 (OC sheriff’s department). I can guess why he is not going to object too strongly to this CCW review. Most cops won’t. As a retired one myself, neither will I. I believe the recent conviction of one of Carona’s unqualified reserve deputies waving his badge and gun around on a golf course dispute speaks for itself.
Instead I’d rather take issue with Art’s story from the OC Weekly about an incident that happened 28 years ago involving Hutchens. The first part of that story states Hutchens and her partner disobeyed an order to call for backup. I would be most interested in knowing who ordered the pair to call for backup and how that happened. The on scene commander would probably have been Hutchens partner. Hutchens would have had little time on the department at that point so it is logical that the senior officer was not her. Therefor it would have been the partner to make that decision.
Secondly any cop that has worked New Years Eve knows that their are hundreds upon hundreds of “shots fired” calls everywhere. Most are drunken celebrators being stupid and every department is stretched to the max trying to respond to these calls. Although taken seriously most turn out to be crap calls and backup is almost non-existent due to the call load.
Whatever triggered this shoot out is anyone’s guess and I wasn’t there to speculate. The lawsuit and cost to the county is not significant to me because if someone waves a gun around empty or not, he’s dead if he doesn’t comply. Of course a civil jury won’t see it that way.
The bottom line is that this incident did nothing to Hutchens career. What Art fails to mention is she was cleared by a department shooting team, the LA DA, and subsequently went on to be promoted about as high up as any woman could have been back in those years. A serious error in her judgement would have put the brakes on her career from that point on. It’s a non issue.
Finally the issue of political ties. Sadly the Sheriff is the one elected official in local law enforcement that finds themselves surrounded by local big wigs that want to grab onto the the sheriff’s coat tails. It’s a fact of life. The issue is who Hutchens chooses to be in her inner circle. It is way too early to make judgements because a few ex-Carona butt kissers are trying to hook up with the new sheriff. Let’s review this in about 6 months and see what she has done.
SMS I would like to wait &see how it plays out concerning Cedillos.As Far as Anderson He did a Terrible job as far As Rank&File was concerned.HE only CARED about pleasing Moorlach and nothing at all about the LOW morale in the Department.He was a Carona Clone as Carona promoted him 3 times in 7 years.AS far as intergerity&Leadership we saw none of that from Him.I’m just glad he is gone and Hutchens is taking over.Now maybe Morale can improve.
Anonist quote “As a retired one myself, neither will I. I believe the recent conviction of one of Carona’s unqualified reserve deputies waving his badge and gun around on a golf course dispute speaks for itself.
There will always be a few bad apples in ANY group. Yes… a few PSR/Reserves screwed up but I believe the majority of the PSR/Reserves joined OCSD to help out and learn…. not to be a wanna-be-cop.
You were quick to point out becuase of the recent Reserve conviction, you too would not object too strongly to the CCW review. Would this same logic work for cops as well?? There are a lot of cops out there, mostly good, a few bad (apples) and some even convicted of one crime or another and some related to misuse of guns as well. Even our own new Sheriff (as stated in this thread) had a gun related incident back in 1980. Does this mean we should “review” and possibly disarm all cops because a few bad apples screwed up or a few mistakes were made in regards to guns and cops?
I am a PSR. I became a PSR after I got my CCW in OC. Why you ask? I could not believe a government offical (Corona) can trust its citizen (me) with a CCW. But he did. For that, I appauld him. After that, I ended up finding myself wanting to know more (and help) the agency that can trust me (Mr. Nobody). As for Corona’s troubles, I really don’t know much about it at all. I met the man once in passing and that was it. I did not give a dime to his campaign or know him personally.
BTW… being a PSR is not a valid reason to get a CCW.
In closing… I believe cops should never disarm… at the same time, a law abidding citizen should have the right to arm him/herself with a CCW. As a friend likes to point out… “When seconds count… the cops are only a few minutes away”.