Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/orange-county-sheriffs-department/)
The Sheriff’s Department has faced controversy in recent weeks over revelations that an internal audit found hundreds of cases where deputies failed to follow policy in booking drugs, cash, photos, and videos in criminal cases by the end of their shift.
And audit found that more than 60 reports alleging misconduct or crimes by sheriff officials had not been not investigated, Sgt. William West said in testimony reported by the Orange County Register.
Sheriff Don Barnes’ spokeswoman declined to say why county supervisors and the district attorney weren’t told of the scale of the issue sooner.
There was no discussion of how much money would be devoted to the plan or how many doctors or nurses would be treating inmates. Answers weren’t provided after the meeting.
The Sheriff’s Department is examining an event at the fire agency’s headquarters that triggered concerns about using government resources for political campaigning.
County supervisors approved the raises without public discussion Tuesday.
County officials are supporting the deal as a sound decision that creates certainty about the next four years of deputy pay, while a fiscal conservative who formerly led the California Republican Party raises alarm bells about its size.
Orange County Sheriff’s officials outspent their revenues by $33 million during this last fiscal year – prompting county officials to pull millions of dollars from other departments like the Health Care Agency to cover the shortfall.
The concerns come after grand juries and a federal judge found evidence that OC jails failed to follow procedures meant to protect inmates and the public.
Sheriff officials conduct the official background investigations as part of the selection process for grand jurors who later investigate the department. The reviews include sheriff officials reporting to the court whether each applicant appears “competent to serve as a Grand Juror.”