The CotoBuzz Journal, Community Journalism

July 2008 ISSUE

We do not make jokes, we simply watch the LA Times, the Orange County Register and CID/HOA board of directors and report the facts!

Star Search – How the Tail Wags the OC Dogs

Sort of like the human resources secretary being asked to interview a candidate to replace the CEO!

June 4, 2008

A quick review of the process used by the Orange County Board of Supervisors to select the finalists for the position left vacant by beleaguered Sheriff Michael S. Carona led us to conclude that the board should fire immediately the person(s) responsible for the process: The criteria prepared and used by the search firm clearly shows lack of experience with executive searches, among other things

When we questioned the criteria and the process used, we were told by the County that leadership and technical issues, were addressed in an interview “… conducted by a retired law enforcement officer with Bob Murray and Associates and included the points you noted as missing from the assessment, such as experience with law enforcement organizations similar in size and complexity, as well as familiarity with local law enforcement” The retired law enforcement officer was later identified as Bob Murray and Associates (BMA) Vice President, Regan William.

According to BMA’s website, “Mr. Williams brings 30 years of local government experience to Bob Murray and Associates. Most recently, he worked as a private consultant with Deloitte and Touche on various public sector assignments. Prior to that, he served as Director of Public Safety with the City of Sunnyvale, CA.” - to put it in context, the City of Sunnyvale had a population of 131,760, according to the 2000 Census, whereas the County of Orange had a population of 2,846, 289, according to the same census. Refer to BMA’s website for “current searches” for additional comparisons - Sort of like the human resources secretary being asked to interview a candidate to replace the CEO!

Perhaps in case we wanted to continue looking at the issue, the County was sure to let us know that the “..Board has seen all applications/resumes submitted for the position and chose to endorse the list of nine recommended candidates. The decision for appointing a Sheriff is entirely up to the Board to make”, so we continue to look at the issue. We decided to compare the BMA’s score to the most recent Board of Supervisor’s vote as shown below, where the BMA chart shows the scores given to each candidate, out of 39 points total.

A cursory review of how the supervisors voted, compared to how BMA scored the finalists, leads one to believe the board's assertion: the board will take suggestions under advisement, but will make the final decision on its own.

A closer look shows that BMA’s second choice (refer to chart below), chief Walters, just happens to be the leading candidate to replace Sheriff Carona. Seemingly always straight shooter supervisor Norby casts one vote and calls chief Walters the “best qualified”.

So why does the board think that Hutchens is just as qualified as Walters? Our only conclusion is that the board's last vote provides ample political coverage for all the supervisors with the exception of Norby: Bates can claim that she defended the current organization, but wants change. Moorlach can claim that he defended the gender vote as well as the search firm’s recommendations. Moorlach and Bates can also claim having voted for Martin, knowing Martin will surface again. In all cases, the board can claim that it was the search firm’s fault that Lt. Hunt and chief Anderson rated so low. In the end, it will have been Regan William and Bob Murray & Associates who selected the next Orange County Sheriff, and the board will have clean hands!

Candidate/ Supvervisor	Hunt	Hunter	Hutchens	Adams	Martin	Babka	Beemer	Walters	Anderson
Nguyen	-	X	X	-	-	-	-	X	-
Moorlach	-	-	X	X	X	-	-	-	-
Bates	-	-	X	-	X	-	-	X	X
Campbell	-	-	X	-	-	-	X	X	-
Norby	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	X	-
Regan Williams and Bob Murray & Associates scores	20	27	25	33	25	25	26	32	28

Star Search – for the OCSD – The Final Episode SetAlthough the process used by the Orange County Board of Supervisors to winnow down the number of candidates to replace much maligned OC Sheriff Michael Carona was at best flawed, the final two candidates represent not necessarily the best of the field, but not necessarily the worst, either.

The OCSD Culture Thing – It is not my Job! - The leading OC Sheriff candidates agree that the OC Sheriff’s Department needs an organizational culture makeover, the OC District Attorney finds the current OCSD’s culture lacking, the Orange County Board of Supervisors demand changes to the OC Sheriff’s Department’s organizational culture, and the President of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriff’s Wayne Quint agree that a culture change is required.

OCSD Insiders Make Paper Cut - How? We do not know We understand that a "paper cut" has been performed by Bob Murray and Associates, the talent search firm being used to hire the next OC Sheriff. We have contacted a number of the cut candidates - apparently, they did not know they were no longer viable candidates.

Working to Serve or Serving to Work? - AOCDS Fundraiser
The Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs (AOCDS) is launching a fundraising drive, for the first time in the association?s history, according to a piece of direct mail, targeting the communities they serve.

Working to Serve, Or Serving To Work - Letter to OC Register Columnist
Another good column. I was wondering if there was ever any serious consideration to any non-union government employee for the position of publicly elected Sheriff by either the Register or Supervisors? That is all I see in your Top Five selection and.

The Coto de Caza Board of Directors to Help Hire the new OC Sheriff?
A cursory review of the criteria used to winnow down the Orange County Sheriff candidate?s list to seven, (the seven are then to be interviewed by the Orange County Board of Supervisors) indicates that Governor Mit Romney, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger,...

The Three OC Blind Mice
OCDA's Rackauckas says that 9-month grand jury probe of jail beating death did not find evidence of criminal wrongdoing by sheriff's personnel, although sheriff's personnel does only bare minimum to keep their jobs.

The OCSD Fox Guarding the Hen
According to the OCRegister, ?Thousands of pages of transcripts released Monday by the Superior Court showed a jail system out of control, with deputies failing to perform even cursory patrols of the jail barracks, instead relying on jail ?shotcallers? ?...

OC Board of Supervisors Full Of Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing!
The Orange County Board of supervisors came into the current term with a fiery agenda rivaled only by Senator?s Obama?s spiritual advisor?s Wright ?s rhetoric - ?Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, the creeps in this petty county come to roost from...

Public Safety Owners and Orphans
Invariably when we publish public safety statistics, proponents of the status quo ridicule our analysis and detractors use the law of attributions to invoke the proverbial ?it?s not mine/their job?.

A Chat with OC Sheriff Candidates - Coto de Caza's Own Ralph Martin
We have offered the seven identified OC Sheriff candidates; Jack Anderson, Bill Hunt, Craig Hunter, Kevin Keyes, Ralph Martin, Ken Maddox and Paul Walters, the CotoBuzz Journal as a platform to communicate with their respective potential supports. We...

OC Sheriff personnel not criminally liable in death of Chamberlain- OCDA
OCDA Tony Rackauckas announced today the conclusion of the criminal portion of a grand jury investigation into the beating murder of inmate, John Chamberlain and the indictment against three former inmates. Nine former inmates, in total now, face murder...

Winter Cleaning at the OCSD Continues
The fallout of Sheriff Carona?s resignation continued to unfold Friday, as his former second-in-command, Assistant Sheriff Jo Ann Galisky was released, and Assistant Sheriff Steve Bishop, head of investigations, announced his immediate retirement

A Chat with OC Sheriff Department Candidate: Craig Hunter
What the OCSD needs is a new leader with a proven track record in law enforcement who will be a strong role model, lead by example with integrity and provide a new vision of teamwork and accountability - Hunter

A Chat with OC Sheriff Candidates: Kevin Keyes
The first and most important priority is to restore honor to the office that was taken by its last office holder- Kevin Keyes