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After Orange County’s sheriff was indicted on corruption charges on
\n2007, supervisors made a point of looking beyond the county limits to
\nfind a replacement who was free of the cronyism and scandal that had
\ntainted the office. <\/p>\n
<\/br>A retired Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department
\ndivision chief, Sandra Hutchens was lauded by one county supervisor for
\nbeing "removed from the political machinations in the county" and was
\nseen as a welcome breath of fresh air in a department that had been led
\nfor decades by politically connected lawmen.
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<\/br>But now, facing
\nher first election bid, Hutchens is fighting criticism that she’s too
\nmuch of an outsider, a career cop from Los Angeles who just doesn’t
\nunderstand Orange County.
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<\/br>As sheriff, Hutchens shook up her
\ncommand staff, threatened to rescind concealed weapons permits handed
\nout by former Sheriff Michael S. Carona and struck an independent tone
\nthat rubbed some county supervisors the wrong way, at times leaving
\nthem out of the loop or having to ask questions after decisions had
\nbeen made.
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Critics called it her L.A. style, a derisive term
\nin Orange County’s political sphere, where Los Angeles is seen as being
\ntoo liberal, a place where headstrong and overly autonomous leaders
\nreign. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/br>Hutchens’ opponents in the June election have made political ammunition out of her L.A. roots, hoping to end her tenure.
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In
\nderiding Hutchens’ proposal to house federal immigration detainees in
\ntwo county jails, one of her opponents, Anaheim Deputy Chief Craig
\nHunter, wrote, "That is how they balance budgets and fight crime in Los
\nAngeles County, from where our current sheriff arrived."<\/p>\n