Anaheim: Gunman forces woman from home, takes her to rob bank

A woman was taken by an armed man from her home to a bank where she works and ordered to get money, police said.

Police were called at 1:52 p.m. Tuesday regarding a robbery in progress at Bank of the West at 600 S. Brookhurst St., said Anaheim police Sgt. Rick Martinez.

The incident began when the woman was in her west Anaheim home and a man knocked on the door. When she answered, the man brandished a gun and forced her to drive him to the bank to withdraw money, Martinez said.

Original Article at OC Register

Santa Ana: 2 hooded men hold up gas station at gunpoint

Two men robbed a gas station at gunpoint and fled with an undisclosed amount of money, police said.

The robbery was reported at 10:50 p.m. Wednesday at a 76 gas station at 325 N. Tustin Ave., near Irvine Boulevard, said Santa Ana police Cmdr. Stephen Colon.

The initial investigation revealed two men entered the gas station and each immediately pointed handguns at the clerk and demanded money, Colon said.

From OC Register

Board takes over security of its meetings

Orange County supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday to seize back control of security at their meetings after deputies swarmed the boardroom earlier this month, intimidating gun activists from speaking out against Sheriff Sandra Hutchens’ new concealed weapons policy.

“It is to assert our authority that we’re ultimately in charge of security,” said County Supervisor Chris Norby, who sponsored changes to the board’s meeting rules along with County Supervisor Janet Nguyen.

Board members also voted unanimously to request that Chief Executive Officer Tom Mauk look into contracting out the security at the Hall of Administration, which is currently patrolled by the sheriff’s department at an annual cost of $813,000.

The controversy over boardroom security stems from a Jan. 13 board of supervisors meeting where gun activists were confronted by placards at the board meeting warning people against bringing firearms into the building. In addition, numerous SWAT deputies and plain clothes officers were in the audience and questioned three activists.

That triggered deep concerns among county supervisors who had never seen such security for one of their meetings. Most have said the reaction seemed over the top. Activists reacted by requesting a copy of the meeting tape through the state’s public records act. After that, Hutchens informed the two supervisors – Nguyen and Norby – that an investigator at the meeting had used the department’s security cameras in the board ceiling to focus on their notes for up to a minute.

Last week, both Nguyen and Norby demanded copies of the security recording but were denied by Hutchens, who cited an unfolding investigation into the matter. She also said any disclosure of the tape could hinder her undercover officers. Hutchens did offer to have the supervisors view the tape, but she wouldn’t hand them over. Both supervisors refused and pressed forward arguing board ownership of the tapes.

In the end, they adopted rules that stipulate only the chairperson of the board of supervisors has the power to implement and approve heightened security measures. Any attempt by the sheriff to beef up security, such as on Jan. 13, would now have to be approved by the chairperson of the board of supervisors. The new rules also stipulated that all security camera recordings are the property of the board.

But Norby said the intent was clear to him. He said he will be asking for a copy of the tapes immediately.

“I’m confident that the top law enforcement official of the county will abide by the law,” Norby said after the vote.

Hutchens wasn’t available for comment but a department spokesman said their position hasn’t changed. The tapes are the property of the Sheriff’s department and they don’t see Tuesday’s action changing anything.

“It’s not our understanding that this would be retroactive,” said sheriff’s spokesman John Mcdonald.

[Please see the entire article at OCRegister.com]

Santa Ana - Man dies after apparent gang shooting

A shooting in Santa Ana that left one man dead and another wounded appears to be gang-related, police officials said today.

Police responded to a call about 4:15 p.m. Friday and found two adults with gunshot wounds lying on the sidewalk in the 600 block of North Bristol Street, said Sgt. Theron Reed of the Santa Ana Police Department. Both victims were taken to local hospitals where one of the victims died Saturday and the other is in stable condition, Reed said.

[From OCRegister.com]

Garden Grove - Man shot and killed

Police found a man who had been shot multiple times early Sunday in a parking lot after officers were flagged down about a fight in the 11000 block of Euclid Street, police officials reported Sunday.

Police said the victim was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. The victim’s name was not released pending notification of his relatives.

[From OC Register]

Mission Viejo - 4 Men in Jail after Home Invasion

Four men were in custody today after allegedly breaking into a Mission Viejo apartment, forcing its occupants to the ground and ransacking the residence, only to be captured at the end of a pursuit by a four-agency law enforcement posse.

The home invasion occurred at the Promenade Apartments at Mission Viejo at 28020 Marguerite Parkway, when four men, one armed with a large knife, broke into a unit about 10:15 p.m. Thursday, Orange County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jeff Foster told an On Scene Video camera crew.

Two of the robbers forced two of the occupants to the ground while the other two men began ransacking the place, taking cash, a snowboard, two computers and other items, Foster said.

[Original Article at MyFox Los Angeles]

Breaking News: Sheriff refusing to release video tapes

As reported on Red County, Sheriff Hutchens is unlawfully refusing to release the security camera footage of the January 13th Board of Supervisors meeting, siting non-specific concerns.

The Sheriff’s official response is “Because of the ongoing investigation/security/personnel concerns, we are not releasing and/or allowing for viewing to those outside the Hall of Administration.”

Additionally, Sheriff Hutchens has threatened to retain legal council to fight the Public Records Act requests that legally require her to provide those tapes.

Sheriff Hutchens apparently thinks that protecting the good people of Orange County against their own public information and interests is an effective way to spend their tax dollars.

This is unconscionable, and the Board of Supervisors have promised to address the issue in today’s meeting.

Supervisor Norby speaks out on Sheriff’s issues

From Supervisor Chris Norby’s newsletter:

“The [concealed carry] controversy would vanish tomorrow if the sheriff would do what the law requires — revoke only the permits of those who have abused them and respect the expiration dates of those who legally hold CCWs.”

Original article at OC Register

Breaking News: Hutchens to refuse to release camera footage?

While we have not received the official response, OCCCWS has heard reports that Sheriff Hutchens is going to refuse to release the security camera footage from the January 13th meeting of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, despite the request for such by OCCCWS under the California Public Records Act. If true, this troubling development only reinforces the complaints made by several individuals that they were targeted for search and surveillance at the meeting while the remainder of those in attendance were not. If there is nothing to hide, Sheriff Hutchens should release the tapes as required by law.

Board of Supervisors to question Hutchens’ CCW policy again on February 10

On February 10th, the Orange County Board of Supervisors will again hear from appointed Sheriff Sandra Hutchens on her current plan to revoke the CCW permits of hundreds of law-abiding citizens for no reason whatsoever. Her current plan is to give revoked permit holders the opportunity to ‘expire’ their permits early, thus avoiding having the revocation of the permit logged on their law enforcement records. This meeting is specifically to address the legality of this plan.

Anyone concerned with their safety or their ability to get and keep a CCW permit should attend the meeting, and bring a friend with them!

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