In a letter to Gov. Newsom, OC Sheriff Don Barnes said he might punish people for “egregious violations” of the statewide mask order.
Tag: Don Barnes
Posted inNEWS
Despite Local Differences Over Mask Order Enforcement, Gov. Newsom Expresses Confidence in OC
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes in a statement this month said deputies will continue to request voluntary compliance.
Posted inNEWS
Protesters Call Out Sheriff Over Spending at County Meeting, Supervisors Unanimously Approve City Patrol Contracts
County supervisors ultimately approved all the contracts unanimously with no real debate or discussion about any of the terms or details.
Posted inCountywide, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
OC Sheriff Says Deputy on Leave for Wearing Symbols ‘Associated with Extremist Groups’
Sheriff Don Barnes called the deputy’s actions “unacceptable and deeply concerning.” The deputy was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.
Posted inNEWS
OC Sheriff Draws Heat Over Raised Thin Blue Line Flag, Protests Continue Over George Floyd’s Death
Sheriff officials say the flag was raised for an annual commemoration of law enforcement. Critics say the flag was tone-deaf amid nationwide protests.
Posted inEmergencies & Disasters
Federal Judge Orders Soap, Six-Foot Distancing for Orange County Inmates
U.S. District Judge Jesus Bernal noted medically vulnerable inmates could die if safety measures, like increased sanitation and access to more soap, aren’t implemented.
Posted inCountywide, Emergencies & Disasters, Top Stories
Orange County Law Enforcement Leaders Call on Public to Report Elder and Child Abuse as Domestic Violence Police Calls Spike
Orange County top law enforcement officials are calling on residents to report suspected cases of child and elder abuse as the Sheriff’s Department notes a 25 percent increase in domestic violence calls and a 30 percent increase in child custody disputes.
Posted inCountywide, Government, NEWS, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
Sheriff Defends Handling of Evidence Booking Scandal
Barnes declined to discuss specific cases, citing laws protecting police officers’ privacy. But he laid the evidence booking problem squarely on individual staff members and “gaps” in evidence booking protocol.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
DA Says He Was Told in May of Decision to Not Prosecute Deputies Over Evidence Handling
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said Wednesday he was informed four months into his administration about a decision days after he was sworn in to not file charges against a sheriff’s deputy found to have made 74 false reports about evidence booking.
Posted inGovernment, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
Questions Mount for Sheriff and DA About Systemic Errors in Preparing Criminal Cases
On Tuesday, it was publicly disclosed in Orange County Superior Court that sheriff officials kept a deputy in the field doing investigations months after they learned he made numerous false statements in police reports about evidence booking.
