FROM THE CORNER OFFICE...........by Wayne Quint, Jr.
The year 2007 was without a doubt the most
challenging in the history of AOCDS. Without our foundation of unity,
integrity and leadership, we would have experienced significant setbacks
and takeaways. If our unity crumbled it quite possibly could have been
the “beginning of the end” of our ability to ensure that our interests
and safety remained protected. Because the AOCDS membership stayed
united in 2007, we begin the year 2008 stronger, more credible and more
unified than ever before. I thank each AOCDS member for your unwavering
commitment to our awesome organization.
I must apologize for the publication of
only three editions of The Courier in 2007. Because we
faced historical association issues during 2007, resources, both
personnel and financial were taxed to their fullest and The Courier
was put on the back burner. We kept our communications current and
up to date throughout 2007 by utilizing two other sources of
information, our website and e-mail blasts. Every AOCDS member should
make it a priority to stay in the loop with our website and e-mails.
If you aren’t using the “members
only” link on our website,
www.aocds.org or receiving e-mails please
see here so you can use these communication tools immediately.
These are some of the issues AOCDS faced in 2007:
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We battled for a fair and equitable
contract. Our refusal to sell out our retirees by saddling them
with unconscionable retiree medical costs was a major roadblock
during contract negotiations. Many of our active members as well as
all our retired members owe a huge debt of gratitude to our younger
members for their commitment and support of our retirees. They
showed incredible maturity, integrity and class to labor and law
enforcement labor. In the end, AOCDS kept its word to its retirees
and we eventually reached an agreement with the County of Orange. On
October 22, 2007, our three year contract was ratified by 83% of our
voting membership. |
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We actively engaged in a direct
voter contact campaign regarding our stalled contract. AOCDS
hired a public relations firm and collaboratively began the “Back
the Badge, Support the Star” campaign. Many of you and your family
members took the time to walk high propensity voter precincts to
educate voters about the need to recruit and retain quality law
enforcement officers for the County of Orange. We also unveiled
another website
www.supportthestar.org. which we coordinated with the voter
contact campaign.
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We educated the residents of Newport
Beach regarding the 25 years of service they have received from
Station 18’s Harbor Patrol. AOCDS took out full page ads in the
Daily Pilot local newspaper during April and May of 2007.
These ads highlighted the heroic and cost effective services our
Harbor Patrol has provided the residents of Newport Beach as well as
those folks that visit their harbor. AOCDS also provided one direct
mailer to high propensity voters residing in Newport Beach. We also
introduced legislation to ensure that fully sworn peace officers
carry out the vital public safety services in all three of Orange
County harbors. |
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We researched and took action
against the suggestion of a “Citizen’s Law Enforcement Review Board”
(CLERB). This issue was suggested by one of the Board of
Supervisors after the Chamberlain murder (by inmates) at Theo Lacy.
Needless to say, this issue needed to be vetted before introduced
and we have gone from a CLERB to an Office of Independent Review.
There is more information in this edition regarding this matter.
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We have been the subject of a
threatened frivolous lawsuit regarding the constitutionality of our
legally bargained retirement benefits. Please take the time to
read our law firm’s update in this edition on this critical issue.
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We selected a new General Manager.
On August 17, 2007, AOCDS hired Sergeant Mark Nichols, president of
the Santa Ana Police Officers Association. Nichols replaced Robert
J. MacLeod, who left us in February of 2007, after a remarkable
career spanning 28 years. Nichols assumed his post on September 7,
2007. I want to thank AOCDS Interim General Manager Mike Carre for
the invaluable service and guidance he provided for our organization
while we searched for a new General Manager. |
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Sheriff Carona was indicted. On
October 30, 2007, exactly one week after the Board of Supervisors
voted 5-0 to approve our contract; Sheriff Carona was indicted by a
Federal Grand Jury. They returned a disturbing 29 page indictment
that one cannot shrug off as mere rumor or misinformation. AOCDS
believes that our members our “innocent until proven guilty” and
that the Sheriff is afforded this right as well. Nonetheless, an
indicted sheriff should be treated no differently then an indicted
AOCDS member. |
On November 5, 2007, the AOCDS Board of
Directors met to discuss the indictment. We unanimously decided to ask
Sheriff Carona to follow the policy of the Sheriff’s Department to place
an employee on administrative leave or terminate his or her employment
when being investigated for possible criminal misconduct, or charged
with a violation of the law and prosecuted in the courts.
At the conclusion of our meeting, the Board
of Directors and I unanimously decided that it was in the best interest
of the community, the Department and our membership for the Sheriff to
resign immediately or take a leave of absence until this legal matter
was resolved.
Update: On November 6, 2007,
Sheriff Carona announced that he would be placing himself on a 60-day
paid leave of absence beginning November 9, 2007. He is set to return
to work on Monday, January 7, 2008. AOCDS has received numerous calls
about what process would take place if Sheriff Carona were to resign.
We have received legal research and analysis regarding the
resignation process and have been told the following by legal
counsel:
·
The Orange County Board of
Supervisors has the authority to appoint a replacement should the office
of sheriff become vacant.
·
The appointment would be for the
remainder of the unexpired term; i.e., until January 2011, following the
next gubernatorial election.
In closing, my attendance at the 5th
Annual Golden Badge Awards ceremony reinforced to me and should to every
AOCDS member that the Sheriff’s Department isn’t defined by an
individual; it is defined by the day to day actions of the men and women
who put on the badge and go 10-8.
On November 2, 2007, I proudly witnessed
Deputy Trent Hoffman and Deputy Jeremy Campbell receive the Golden Badge
Foundation’s Medal for Heroism and Exemplary Performance Award.
The Golden Badge Foundation is the
non-profit entity associated with the California Coalition of Law
Enforcement Associations, which represents over 80,000 peace officers
throughout California. Trent and Jeremy’s performance of duty after
being attacked by an armed inmate at the Theo Lacy facility was
recognized statewide!
These two deputies represented Station 18
proudly and they were joined by 17 other California law enforcement
officer heroes from the Long Beach Police Department, Los Angeles Police
Department, Sacramento Police Department, San Francisco Police
Department and the Santa Ana Police Department.
Deputy Trent Hoffman and Deputy Jeremy
Campbell defined Station 18 that evening. All of the men and women that
were honored that evening defined our profession of law enforcement.
Please practice good officer safety and always watch their hands.
