Sheriff Hutchens it is.

This morning the Orange County Board of Supervisors selected Retired LA County Sheriff’s Department Division Chief Sandra Hutchens as Orange County Sheriff. Good luck Sheriff Hutchens, and congratulations Chief Walters.

Initially, the board decided to take a poll to see who has the greatest amount of support so that the Board might make their final selection unanimous, or at least close to unanimous. Norby was clearly in support for Walters in the poll. Moorhach & Nguyen for Hutchens, Campbell for Walters and Bates for Hutchens. 

Given that Hutchens won the straw poll, Norby and Campbell offered their congratulations to Hutchens. Final Vote : 3-2 Hutchens

Special thanks to Martin Wisckol at Total Buzz for the final tally info. The internet feed crashed (too many viewers) before Supervisor Bates voted in the straw poll.

UPDATE: Peggy Lowe has transcribed her post BOS vote Q&A with Chief Hutchens on Total Buzz HERE.

18 Comments

  1. Clearly this was the result of Orange Juice and the hard hitting posts of Art Pedroza. If it wasn’t for him, and his influence over Janet Nguyen, Paul Walters would have been appointed Sheriff. Thank you Art, Orange County is a better place because of you.

  2. And, of course, what should have taken 10 minutes stretched into an hour thanks to that lunatic Norby.

    Congratulations, Sheriff Huchens.

  3. Well congrats to all you Janet Nguyen supporters. This is yet another reason that justifies my opposition to her.

    Four years can’t come soon enough for those of us that ACTUALLY LIVE in the First District and are stuck with Janet.

    SOLORIO IN 2012!!!!!!

  4. Of course Sean, and in 4 years the citizens of Santa Ana won’t have to deal with your lackluster performance on the Planning Commission either.

    Oh… and JANET IN 2012!!!!

  5. Pedroza Apostle,

    I don’t know about that, but I am astounded that the OC GOP machine got punked today. Kudos to Nguyen, Bates and Moorlach for picking the right candidate and not the machine candidate.

    I don’t know how Sean can argue that Walters was a better pick. When Sean and Matt Cunningham agree you know that their choice is a BAD one. Walters has done an awful job in Santa Ana. And now everyone knows he wants out. Hopefully he will get his wish.

    I hear the City of Rosarito, Mexico is looking for a new Chief of Police. He will have to provide his own Kevlar vest however…

  6. Gosh Art — I’m astonded that you were completely wrong about this selection of Sheriff. You said Walters was a done deal.

  7. Congratulations To newly Elected Sheriff Hutchens as she has a very difficult and Challenging job ahead of her and I wish her the best of Luck. Art you should be happy as Walters will be your CHIEF now for the nest 10 years as the City council still want him to stay as the citizens of Santa Ana.

  8. http://orangepunch.freedomblogging.com/2008/06/10/huge-missed-opportunity-at-board/#respond

    Before one read’s Greenhut’s whinings over at the Orange Punch make sure
    you have full bladder control. He blasts away at Bates’ and Nguyen’s commentaries. His perception is totally at odds with the audio I heard via the internet. I thought both women did an excellent job of articulating their decisions. And in reality, they don’t have to justify their actions to him. Steve is becoming a contra indicator like
    the other establishment sycophant Jon Fleischman. I would fear being
    supported by Steve. It’s almost a guarantee of getting overlooked or passed over. But that pales in comparison to being called an “honest person” or a
    “person of integrity” by Fleischman. If that ever happened I would be speed dialing a defense attorney for the federal indictment that is certain to be in my future.

  9. Can Art or any of the other Janet supporters around here please explain why she tried to get a secret ballot vote?

    Clearly just another attempt to play both sides of the fence.

  10. Hackett —
    the one thing Steve wrote I agree with is that Janet Nguyen doesn’t seem to know/understand the Brown Act, hence her request for a secret ballot. Perhaps she’s not as smart as Art P says she is.

  11. What great news! We need new, experienced blood to make the improvements needed in our sheriff’s department. Our county will be best served by Sheriff Hutchens.

  12. Didn’t Paul Walters hire (pro bono I think) John Lewis? If so, he got the two votes from Lewis (since Campbell and Norby are clients). Too bad he needed three.

    At the end of the day, both were/are good candidates. Hutchens will do an excellent job despite Greenhut’s owhinings.

    Dan. Jubal just posted another thread on Janet’s comments on a secret ballot. It’s worth a read.

    http://www.redcounty.com/orange-county/2008/06/about-janets-secret-ballot/

    Those claiming that she tried to circumvent the Brown Act might want to make doctor’s appointments now in case their faux outrage hard-ons last three days.

  13. Why is Walters allowed to remain as Chief at SAPD? where is our city council? They are basically the Latino/a housemaids to Coto De Caza living Dave Ream. The fact they allow him to keep Walters as Chief after all this time is a joke! He double dips his salary and makes nearly 400k+ for a couple years, now makes 205k as he was so generous to “un-retire” even though he never left his office. WHERE IS THE COUNCIL!

    Walters has now tried to leave for the OCSD job twice, LAPD, Riverside and Marshalls positions to name a few. And you think he is well respected by the troops? He is an absentee father who only returns when he cant land a new home. This is a joke and our council needs to act!

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