“South Orange County resident Ralph Martin, a well-respected longtime Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department commander who finished third to replace the disgraced Mike Carona as Orange County’s sheriff last year, officially retired today after nearly 36 years of public service,” according to the O.C. Weekly’s Navel Gazing blog.
The most interesting part of the story is this, “Martin was among almost 50 candidates seeking to win an appointment to finish Carona’s remaining two years in office. Before false derogatory rumors were spread in well-placed political spots, he seemed to have a solid chance of capturing the job. But Sandra Hutchens, another high-ranking LA County sheriff’s official, ultimately won the job in a 3-2 vote by Orange County’s Board of Supervisors.”
I wonder who spread those “false derogatory rumors?” Remember that Republican consultant John Lewis, who created the disgraced former Sheriff, Mike Carona, was also the main consultant to Santa Ana police chief Paul Walters, who was in the running to replace Carona until Sandra Hutchens came out of nowhere to get the job.
Anonymous cronies are now ripping into conservative Fullerton Councilman Shawn Nelson, who is taking on Lewis’ Democrat pal Tom Daly, to replace Chris Norby on the Board of Supervisors. I wonder if Lewis is behind these latest scurrilous anonymous attacks?
Good luck to Martin on his retirement. He would have been a great O.C. Sheriff. Too bad that didn’t happen. Instead we got stuck with Hutchens and her mob of L.A. bureaucrats. If Lewis was behind the attacks on Martin, it would be par for the course given his creation of Carona, the worst Sheriff ever!
Art,
I’m no fan of Lewis and I don’t know what “rumors” or “attacks” you are talking about. But, It’s a known FACT Martin was in charge of the Deputies who had a circular firing squad in Lynwood shooting up a bad guy in a car with over 100 rounds of ammo. The guy was barely scratched but 2 Deputies were hit and surrounding homes shot up from stray bullets. Luckly, no innocent people were hit.
Also, it’s well-known in inner circles of law enforcement Martin has had an alcohol and anger management issues that prevented him from rising hire then he did. Think about it. If Martin is so good, why wouldn’t he stay in L.A. and look to replace Baca when he steps aside? I remember when pressed to release their medical files during the campaign he refused to do so while Bill Hunt gladly opened his. Maybe that’s where the “rumors” are coming from that you are tallking about.
I think because Baca ain’t leaving until he is as dead as the guy before him, who you may recall died in office.
I have met Martin. He is a nice guy. I did not sense any of these alleged anger issues.
Hutchens was directly involved in one or two of these crazed shootings too. The fact is, our police don’t know how to stop folks without nailing them. This is something that begs for new technology. Guns are just too damn lethal.
As for Hunt, his record under Carona just plain sucks. Time for us to move on – and he needs to do so as well. He will NEVER be our Sheriff, period.
*Hey….isn’t Bill Bratton out on term limits
in LA? He’d be a great Sheriff for the OC!
Hey one who knows, your actually way offffff partner. The audactiy of you to speak like a third grader whose mad.
Lets address your ignorant comments. Martin had no documented issues, if he did post them rumors dont work. And in case you haven’t noticed, which I assume your not in LASD. Region two has been for quite some time, run by African Americans. This will always be, trust me partner. This is more of a race thing over qualifications.
Oh and the hundred rounds, WRONG again!!!!!!! 67 only and yes the suspect was hit 6 times. In case you don’t know, most cop rounds are designed to hit a vehicle and stop, not penetrate. You are very misinformed. LASD has leaders who have been sued for racism and still get promoted to high ranking postions after.
Your really lost, and for Hutches, well she is tied up to a correctional company which builds jails and also offers programs(hence research, training, reccomendations and so forth) It just so happens the board is comprsied of a few ex-undersheriffs from lasd who also planted seeds. See you really dont know. I know
Oh an who do you think, Hutchens hired to do the research on their jail, YEP you guest it, this correctional company. go do some research before you speak……
I have no idea what to make of this. If anyone mentioned within it feels aggrieved, write us.
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