Sandra Hutchens

Sandra Hutchens
14th Sheriff-Coroner of Orange County, California
In office June 14, 2008 – January 7, 2019
Preceded by	Mike Carona
Succeeded by	Don Barnes
Personal details
Born	(1955-03-18)March 18, 1955 Orange County Sheriff's Department 2008–2019 Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 1978–2008
Rank	OC Sheriff-Coroner – 6/2008 LASD Chief – 7/2003 LASD Commander – 2001 LASD Captain – 7/1999 LASD Lieutenant – 1994 LASD Sergeant – 1986 Sworn in as a LA County Sheriff's Department Deputy Sheriff – 1978

Sandra Sue Hutchens (March 18, 1955 – January 4, 2021) was an American

Hutchens was raised in Long Beach, California where she graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School. Shortly after graduating from high school she was hired as a secretary for the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. She graduated from the academy in 1978.^[2]

She was a graduate of the University of La Verne, with a bachelor's degree in Public Administration. She also attended the FBI Academy.^[3]

Controversies

In her first year as Sheriff of Orange County, Sheriff Hutchens made numerous changes to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, many of which were considered controversial.

Concealed weapons permits

During the first few months after her appointment as Sheriff-Coroner, her department sent letters to many

Seven former top officials at the Orange County Sheriff's Department filed wrongful termination claims against the county, alleging Sheriff Sandra Hutchens lied when she said they were laid off for budgetary reasons. The two former assistant sheriffs and five captains, including ex-Assistant Sheriffs Jack Anderson and John Davis, allege that Hutchens really laid them off because she disliked their job performance. A performance-based termination would mean that officers should have been given hearings they were entitled to under the state's 'Peace Officers' Bill of Rights,' according to the claims. Hutchens said she chose to lay off the top administrators to keep investigator positions, and that the layoffs saved the department $2.2 million as part of a $28 million plan to pare the agency's budget. But in the claims, the former employees allege their terminations did not save the county any money, and that Hutchens' command staff is now larger than before the series of layoffs.[8]

Ballot statements

Hutchens was challenged in court in an effort to force her to remove false claims that she cut her command staff by 47%. Hutchens settled the dispute out of court, agreeing to remove the misstatement from her ballot statement. This 47% of command staff is a popular topic in that it was described by Orange County Supervisor Bill Campbell as a "Bait and Switch" and her actions to remove this 47% of command staff and later expand her staff have resulted in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the county.^[8]

Immigration

Hutchens told the Trump administration she wanted her department to cooperate more closely with federal immigration agents.^[9]

Campaign

At a candidates' forum sponsored by Orange County Young Republicans, Hutchens repeatedly invoked the law for some of her unpopular policies, such as not granting gun permits to people not facing a specific threat, or releasing some inmates early, saying, "If you want more guns and CCWs [concealed weapon permits], then you should vote for one of my opponents." She also stressed that the department had reclaimed its integrity and provided good service.^[10]

Personal life

Hutchens' husband Larry is a retired assistant police chief for the Los Angeles Unified School District.^[2]

Hutchens was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2012. She died from breast cancer on January 4, 2021.^[1]

References