Update on Orange County: Sheriff Hutchens (GNOC)

August 06, 2009, 11:30am

Summary:

We would like to Thank Sherriff Hutchens for taking the time to meet with us.

Detail:

Even in a relatively safe county such as the County of Orange, crime and its prevention are one of the larger priorities to constituents and local government. Newly appointed Sherriff Sandra Hutchens spoke with Members at Makar Properties on August 6th to discuss her strategy to keep criminal activity to a minimum and keep the sheriff’s department running efficiently.

Sheriff Hutchens earned her title with 30 years in the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department and was among the first group of women allowed to work on the field wearing pants.  

Sheriff Hutchens also reminded us that money, its distribution and politics are in fact major aspects of her job.  With the $20 million dollars she faces in cuts, Hutchens chose to focus on the well being of the average citizen rather than the hierarchy of the Sheriff Department. Instead of cutting recourses from the bottom, she chose to reduce funds at the top of the department, in order to give the smallest amount of change to the public, keeping the amount of field officers the same. Her honest, upfront, and good willed approach to the position is an asset to the force. Much of the conversation also focused on diverging opinion on private gun ownerships and its role in public safety.