Sup. Moorlach Adds His Two Cents on The Hutchens/Security Camera Controversy

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Sup. Moorlach Adds His Two Cents on The Hutchens/Security Camera Controversy - OC BLOG (CA), Part of the Red County Network

Sup. Moorlach Adds His Two Cents on The Hutchens/Security Camera Controversy

Posted by: Jubal | 01/29/2009 1:23 PM

Sup. John Moorlach attempts to pour some oil on the trouble waters with this commentary in today's "Moorlach Report:"

The Sheriff has not refused to provide copies of the recordings from security cameras showing close-ups of two unsuspecting Supervisors as they participated in the January 13, 2009 Board meeting. I viewed a DVD, with the controversial one-and-one-half minutes, yesterday morning after receiving a copy from Undersheriff John Scott during Tuesday's Board meeting. Two of my colleagues also accepted copies of this DVD. I also discussed the DVD at length with Assistant Sheriff Jack Anderson yesterday morning and am appreciative for the time he gave me on the matter. I declined to view the DVD of the entire meeting due to a lack of time.

The DVD does show close-ups for about 90 seconds of Supervisor Nguyen and Supervisor Norby. In my view, it was grossly inappropriate and wrong for the deputy to do this. The security cameras are there to provide security to all those in attendance at the Board meetings, and focusing on close-ups of the Supervisors and what lies on the dais in front of them serves no such purpose.

However, contrary to the strained hyperbole of some, Sheriff Hutchens did not authorize this activity, and was in fact appalled by it. She did the right thing--she personally called both Supervisors, and immediately ordered an internal affairs investigation, overseen by Stephen Connolly, the Executive Director of the Office of Independent Review, the civilian oversight office that my office worked so hard to create.

Now, the Board and the Sheriff have taken steps to insure that this conduct does not reoccur. The cameras may not focus on us, but are to be used only for their intended purpose. The Board will have a greater say in planning for Board room security. And the Board has clarified that the Sheriff needs to make copies of all security camera recordings available to Board members, but noting that such recordings are confidential, are not public records, and may not be turned over if doing so would violate State law.

It is time to stop making political hay out of what most likely was conduct that arose from the boredom of the camera operator, and not a sinister motive. Such an attitude does not move us toward the desired purpose of working together with the Sheriff to all do our jobs better for the citizens of the County.

Steve Greenhut posts his reaction to Sup. Moorlach's reaction over at Orange Punch.

I'm a reasonable guy. I'm willing to give Sheriff Hutchens the benefit of the doubt and accept that she had no foreknowledge, and gave no direction, to the OC Sheriff's Department investigator to zooom in on Supervisors Janet Nguyen and Chris Norby.

And it should be kept in mind that she notifgied Norby and nguyen when she learned about the videeo snooping.

But as for her rationale that the public records request for the security video cannot be release because it will disclose blind spots...be real. I know the department is selling that line hard, but I'm just not buying.

If Sheriff Hutchens...or Assistant Sheriff Michael Hillmann...are so concerned about that security vulneerability, I have a simple solutuion: fix it. Install another camera to cover the blind spots, which will obviate the reason for withholding the footage.

In the aftermath of the Grand Jury report on Theo Lacy, the OCSD moved like greased lighting to install more video cameras in the jail. The Board Chambers are considerably smaller, so I imagine it could be accomplished even faster.

Anybody have the number for The Geek Squad?