OCCCWS Demands Release of Video Footage from January 13th Board of Supervisors Meeting

In letters sent today, OCCCWS, acting through counsel, demanded the release of the security camera footage of the January 13th Board of Supervisors meeting under the California Public Records Act.

Letter to the OC Board of Supervisors

Letter to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department

Shocking Results from Sheriff Department Records Request

These images are the results of a Public Records Act (PRA) request sent to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, requesting the electronic communications of the Sheriff’s Department Command Staff during the 11-18-08 Orange County Board of Supervisors Meeting.

While the sheriff’s response to the request was not complete, the documents they did provide show a stunning lack of regard for the public they serve and the Board of Supervisors by the Command Staff.

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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

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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Sheriff’s department spied on supervisors

This item was posted to the Orange County Register blog by Steven Greenhut. Obviously it is extremely disturbing.

I just talked to Supervisor Chris Norby, who told me that at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday that deputies had taken control of the security cameras and had panned the audience and then zeroed in on two supes — Norby and Janet Nguyen. The deputy used the camera to look at the two supervisors’ personal notes and text messages. Sheriff Sandra Hutchens called the two supervisors to tell them that and warn them that if there was anything embarrassing on their notes or texts that it could become public. According to Norby, Hutchens defended what Norby termed a 1984-like approach to security. He was referring, of course, to the George Orwell novel about totalitarianism. Norby said the sheriff’s department now spies on supervisors. This is outrageous. Not only did the sheriff target gun-rights supporters for searches and interrogations — without any specific threat having been made — but now she uses cameras to focus on audience members and even supervisors who dare to question her policies. This is very intimidating stuff — an appalling display, according to the California Newspaper Publishers Association. Hutchens — who left the room surrounded by a sea of officers — is either paranoid, or so hostile to disagreement that she is willing to engage in despicable tactics to stifle debate. No one can possibly be this politically tone-deaf, so it must reveal Sheriff Hutchens’ hostility to free debate, disagreement, open government and the democratic process.

[From OCRegister.com]

(emphasis added)

Supervisors express disapproval of Hutchens CCW policy

At the January 13th meeting, on very short notice, appointed Sheriff Hutchens addressed the Board of Supervisors to provide an update on the status of her intention to revoke over 400 CCW permits from law-abiding citizens of Orange County without cause.

Several concerned citizens attended. Fearing some kind of protest action, the Sheriff had massively increased security, with nearly two dozen undercover SWAT and uniformed deputies providing security, including searching people who were wearing OCCCWS buttons. Despite this heavy-handed attempt at intimidation, several OCCCWS members spoke and expressed their concerns to the Board of Supervisors.

Previously, the Board of Supervisors expressed concern that doing so would unfairly punish CCW holders by placing a negative mark on their record indicating that their permit had been revoked - something that normally only occurs due to a criminal offense.

The Sheriff expressed her intention to ‘allow’ CCW holders to voluntarily ‘expire’ their permit early in order to avoid the black mark, or face revocation.

The supervisors wisely saw this as really being no choice at all and expressed concern about the legality of changing the expiration date of an already issued permit. They directed county council to investigate the legality of the issue and report back.

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Supervisor Bates newsletter addresses CCW issues

From the latest (1/9/09) release of Supervisor Pat Bates email newsletter.

Dear Concerned Citizen,

In an effort to keep you updated on the ongoing debate over CCW permits I am sending this e-mail to inform you that the Sheriff will be giving a final report on her CCW policy at the January 13th Board of Supervisors’ meeting. Although this report is not yet listed on the official agenda, a supplemental agenda item will be added. The Sheriff is expected to report on information she has gathered from the Department of Justice and how that information will influence the implementation of her policy.

Whatever the Sheriff reports will likely have consequences for current CCW holders and any future applicants. Please be sure to watch that meeting live at www.ocgov.com or attend the meeting in person so that you can hear the Sheriff’s report first hand. Once the Sheriff makes here final views known I encourage you to share your thoughts with me, and of course make your opinions known to the Sheriff.

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Sheriff Hutches to present report on CCW Revocations to Board of Supervisors

On January 13,2009, Sheriff Hutchens will be addressing the Orange County Board of Supervisors to present a report on the Sheriff-Corner Department’s CCW Policy and their discussions with the Department of Justice on the revocation of CCW permits.

We urgently need concerned citizens to attend the meeting!

The meeting will be held in the Board Hearing Room, First Floor, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana. Directions are available here.

Meetings begin at 9:30AM and you should plan on arriving no later than 8:45 to insure that seating and parking are available.

OC Board of Supervisors Web Site

Sign up for OCCCWS Action Alerts!

Orange County Sheriff’s Department Non-Committal On Pending CCW Issues

From The California Rifle and Pistol Association (”CRPA”)

After being grilled by Supervisors over her new more restrictive CCW issuance policy at the November 18, 2008 Orange County Board of Supervisors meeting, Sheriff Hutchens was a no-show at the December 16, 2008 Board of Supervisors meeting. This despite her being asked to again address the ongoing issue of how CCW licenses, particularly revocations and expirations, are being handled for failure to meet her new more restrictive “good cause” standard. Senior Deputy County Counsel Nicole Sims and Assistant Sheriff Jack Anderson tried to answer questions from Supervisors and the public, but their responses raised more questions than they answered.

The Supervisors don’t like Hutchens’ CCW policy change that makes it more difficult to get a CCW, and are particularly concerned that Hutchens’ plan to revoke hundreds of CCWs that she feels now lack “good cause” (as she has redefined it) will result in a perceived negative mark on a CCW holder’s law enforcement record - an “electronic scarlet letter” - since CCWs are typically only revoked as a result of a CCW holders criminal wrong doing.

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Filed Under: Latest News
Tagged: Board of Supervisors, Latest News

Supervisor Bates issues CCW Policy Update

December 19, 2008 by OCCCWS Editor · Leave a Comment 

This email just went out from the office of Supervisor Pat Bates, who has been very supportive of our goal of reforming CCW policies in Orange County.

Dear Concerned Citizen:

At Tuesday’s meeting, the Board received an update from County Counsel on their ongoing discussions with the Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding how a CCW permit revocation is recorded onto an individual’s DOJ record. As you will recall, my office received hundreds of emails and phone calls from Orange County residents passionately expressing their objections to the arbitrary revocation of CCW permits based solely on the new Sheriff’s interpretation “good cause.” This raised significant concern that such revocations would be recorded on an individual’s DOJ record without proper explanation as to why. This could leave law enforcement and any other reviewing agency with the wrong impression that the license had been revoked for criminal misconduct or any other wrongdoing.

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Filed Under: Latest News
Tagged: Board of Supervisors, Latest News

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