Good point. Bad form.

Guess she'll watch the video.

Paul Walters had a plan to hit the ground running. Hutchens is going to take at least four months to formulate a plan.

She doesn't need to bother with tasks such as the budget since it is clear that the department will be taking its marching orders from John Moorlach.

"...the department will be taking its marching orders from John Moorlach."

Yikes! That sounds scary! What would those 'marching orders' be?

Boooo Moorlach! We know what his agenda is... don't we?

Please tell us Sean, what are we to be afraid of.

We know what Greenhut's (and Jubal's) agenda is. That "Editorial" today in the OC Register was line-for-llne Greenhut. So I would like to offer a few observations. Apparently there are those who are of the opinion that politics has reared it's ugly head with the appointment of Hutchins as Sheriff. Here at Red County I have seen post topics promoting Anderson, Walters and Martin. I suppose if any one of these individuals had been chosen by the Supes then glowing accolades of the infinite wisdom of the Board of Supervisors would be soon to follow. But no politics were practiced here, were there. Now the politics of CWLA is solely responsible for the votes of Supervisors Bates and Ngyuen and the appointment was "stolen". Sounds familiar Huh? Moorlach, Bates and Ngyuen had ample reason aside from CWLA to appoint Hutchins. It was only Bates and Ngyuen that would later have deal with the accusations that would assuredly follow. They knew it and it didn't matter. Anybody watching would also know Bates' big ticket was regional policing. She previously asked all candidates of their thoughts on the issue. She's getting a lot of flak on police service costs from her cities. Walters has zero experience in this regard. Moorlach's press release nailed it. It seems to me, the powerplayers got powerplayed.
With regard to the assertion of a "tremendous missed opportunity". What was Hutchins supposed to do since she has not been sworn in? Sit there and look enthralled? Best yet get too work and reveiw the Supescam when she got home. Like Norby jokingly said, We need a "superman". Greenhut with a straight face thinks we need "superwoman".

This is not "Rocket" science. She promised to be a change agent and lead a department that is in crisis. The foundation of the department is the budget. Her failure to remain at the meeting or return to the meeting after her camera time is clearly demonstrative of an individual who does not have the skill set to be a "turn around" specialist. Supervisor Campbell was absolutely correct "turn around" specialists have a very different skill set and experience. By not attending the budget hearing for her department which was conducted in the very same room that she had just left in order to meet with the press was a poor business decision and an indicator of her priorities.

It is understandable that she would be overwhelmed with emotion at that moment, but a skilled "turn around" specialist may have recognized the advantages of attending the public hearing regarding the budget that will be the basis of the economic parameters with which she must work. I mean, it wasn't very inconvienent for her to attend !!!

It would have been very bad form for Hutchens to sit in on that hearing. Acting Sheriff Anderson and Hutchens’ new team deserve an opportunity to brief her on the budget they’ve prepared and discuss her questions and comments in private. Her presence at the hearing would have added nothing to the discussion, and she can review the tape at any time.

After giving a few quick statements, she DID go to the Sheriff’s department and straight to work. If she didn’t do the press avail, they would have hounded her office for the rest of the afternoon. It’s called “feed the beast.”

And how arrogant would it be to come in from outside the Department (even SAPD is considered outside the Department) with a detailed go-forward strategy, without assessing the situation from inside personally and giving your team, most who serve with honor and pride, the chance to give input?

The foundation of the department is the budget.

Gee, and to think I was under the assumption that the foundation of the department is its people.

Get over it people, she's the sheriff...on to bigger and better things.

OC In The Know:

A little tip....."there isn't any people without a budget". I don't know who she was meeting with but the management team was at the budget hearing EXPLAINING the budget.

Anon @ 1:51.
Since when did the budget become the major issue in the Department requiring a "turn-around" artist? I thought the personnel in the department was the issue that the Board considered an "emergency". I heard Moorlach say something jokingly to the effect that he was sure everyone would want to stick around and listen to the budget items. So please be so kind as to tell us what exactly it is in the Sheriff's budget that requires her immediate attention? Actually that was a rhetorical question. Answer: Nothing

Opps. That was me @ 2:25.

Rocket;

The Sheriff's budget is the most complicated budget since the Bankruptcy. You see there is this minor issue of the expenditure of Prop. 172 funds. For the first time these funds are in play. Additionally the excellerating labor costs regarding 3%@50 which have increased direct County costs on average to an amount equal to 48% of payroll as a result of OCERS' actuarial adjustments made two years ago.The modification of these retirement assumptions, 172 money and large OT costs may requrie the attention of the chief operating officer of the department. Or perhaps to you, as mentioned above all of these equal "nothing".

Tom Gordon had a good post at the Orange Juice about Walters' record in Santa Ana. Good jail (glad to hear that any, if any, illegals he might have grabbed aren't uncomfortable and getting their three hots and a cot). After 20 years over there, creating the County's poster city for gang violence isn't a strong bullet on one's resume.

And then there's the notion that Janet Nguyen didn't support the police chief (and by extension, his Mayor who needs no further reach into county government) of the largest city in her district.

Can we let the paint dry before we declare kaos?

So many self serving people like Cunningham and Prolbosky have had their bubble burst that they fail to see the good in anything.

Politics should be more than polling who will win or loose or who can influence someone else to vote. Important as that can be the real issues are the significant impact decisions have on people's lives and public safety not the rumors and predictions of who has more power to get someone nominated. Outsiders and observers who never get dirty but simply sit back and critique while others work are worthless when it comes to getting real things done.

Thanks for you opinions that the new Sheriff failed to sit in on a meeting minutes after being appointed when not yet sworn in. Something tells me she has plans to get up to speed without your help. But feel free to weigh in anytime.