SANTA ANA, Ca. (Nov. 7, 2024): The Orange County Sheriff’s Department – OC Crime Lab has been awarded a $154,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for training and enhanced drug impaired driving testing. 

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will use the funding to facilitate the efficient testing of all blood samples collected in DUI investigations for the presence of drugs, regardless of the blood alcohol concentration (BAC).

“We continue to see the impacts of legalization of marijuana and the increase of opioid abuse in our community, including on our roadways,” said Don Barnes, Orange County Sheriff-Coroner.  “Enhanced testing and training provided by this grant helps us hold accountable those who endanger our community by choosing to drive impaired.”

The prevalence of drug-impaired driving is increasing on our roadways.  Based on case derived data collected by the Orange County Crime Laboratory over 50% of drivers arrested for DUI in Orange County have at least one impairing drug in their system other than alcohol. 

Illicit drugs and certain prescription and over-the-counter medications can cause impairment in an individual. These substances in combination with even a small amount of alcohol can cause a person to become unable to operate a motor vehicle safely.

“Drug-impaired driving is a significant problem in California,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “Effective drug testing is needed to combat the rise in cases and assist in the prosecution of those who put lives at risk.”

 While alcohol remains the worst offender for DUI crashes, The Orange County Sheriff’s Department reminds drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.”  Prescription medications and marijuana can also be impairing by themselves, or in combination with alcohol, and can result in a DUI arrest. 

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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SANTA ANA, Ca. (Oct. 30, 2024) – The Orange County Sheriff’s Department announced today that it has received a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support its ongoing enforcement and education programs to help reduce the number of serious injuries and deaths on our roads. The grant program runs through September 2025.

“We are grateful to receive this grant, which will strengthen our traffic enforcement efforts and improve road safety,” Sergeant Kyle Ishii said. “By increasing enforcement of traffic laws and focusing on high-risk areas, we aim to reduce dangerous driving behaviors, prevent crashes, and make our roads safer for everyone."

The grant will provide additional programs and resources, including: 

• DUI checkpoints and patrols focused on stopping suspected impaired drivers.

• High-visibility distracted driving enforcement operations targeting drivers in violation of California’s hands-free cell phone law.

• Enforcement operations focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of people biking or walking at risk. 

• Enforcement operations focused on top violations that cause crashes: speeding, failure to yield, stop sign and/or red-light running, and improper turning or lane changes.

• Community presentations on traffic safety issues such as distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding and bicycle and pedestrian safety.

• Collaborative enforcement efforts with neighboring agencies.

• Officer training and/or recertification: Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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SANTA ANA, Ca. (October 25, 2024): Please see the attached statement from Sheriff Barnes: 

“Orange County has lost a legend and our department has lost one of our most beloved family members. Sheriff Brad Gates passed away this morning at the age of 85.

“Sheriff Gates’ six terms in office, from 1975 to 1999, were defined as ‘24 Years of Progress.’ He took the helm of our agency at the age of 35 after only 14 years into his law enforcement career. His accomplishments as Sheriff are too long to include in one memo. Although it has now been over 24 years since Sheriff Gates retired, much of what our department has in place today are a result of initiatives he began.

“He constructed the IRC, expanded Theo Lacy, guided the County-wide Coordinated Communications System, established RNSP, instituted new technologies at the crime lab, expanded the use of civilian job classifications, founded the Sheriff’s Advisory Council and Drug Use is Life Abuse, and led the way as the first large law enforcement agency to have video cameras installed in patrol units. The population of Orange County nearly doubled during his tenure and Brad Gates accomplished the task of ensuring one of America’s fastest growing counties had a first-class sheriff’s department.

“It was this record that attracted so many young men and women to join our department. As a young deputy I remember how much we all looked up to him and his spirit of excellence. We knew he had our backs so long as we did our duty in keeping with the high standards he set. It is the same spirit and standards, which have guided me long after he retired as sheriff.

“I cannot close this memo without recognizing Sheriff Gates’ affinity for the West. He enjoyed riding horses, was often spotted in a cowboy hat, and even won his first election as Sheriff with an endorsement by western actor John Wayne. In Old West times, a peace officer was commonly referred to as a ‘lawman.’ Lawmen like Wyatt Earp are credited with bringing order to the chaos of the Wild West and making the frontier a safe place to live and raise a family. The West was tamed long before Brad Gates became Sheriff, but like the lawmen before him, he ensured a rapidly growing county was kept safe.

“Brad Gates epitomized the best of a lawman, he led with integrity, possessed tremendous strength and stood tall in defense of the public he was sworn to serve. History books will record Brad Gates as Orange County’s 10th Sheriff, but he will always rank as top lawman in the hearts of those he so ably led.”

Sheriff Gates is survived by his wife Deedee, son Scott, daughter Deedee Jo, her husband Eddie; grandchildren, Joanna, Emma and Nathan; big brothers Stillman and Robert, and little sister Margaret Lapham. Please keep the entire Gates family in your thoughts and prayers.

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Aliso Viejo, Ca. (November 13, 2024): The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday, November 15, from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. at an undisclosed location in the city of Aliso Viejo.  

DUI Checkpoints are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests. Deputies will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with deputies checking drivers for proper licensing.

The Sheriff’s Department reminds drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.

In 2019, 1,066 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes on California roads. 

The Sheriff’s Department offers these reminders to ensure you have a safe night of fun that doesn’t involve a DUI:

• Always use a designated sober driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab or public transportation – to get home.
• See someone who is clearly impaired try and drive? Take the keys and help them make other arrangements to find a sober way home.
• Report drunk drivers – Call 911.
• Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who are drinking and how they are getting home. 

Getting home safely is cheap, but getting a DUI is not. Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to be upwards of $13,500. This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses, not to mention possible jail time.

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Sheriff’s Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

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LAKE FOREST, Ca. (Oct. 18, 2024): Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigators are seeking the public’s assistance to track down additional information and witnesses in an Oct. 17 bank robbery.

At 12:03 p.m. on Oct. 17, Orange County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the Chase Bank off Portola Parkway and Bake Parkway in the city of Lake Forest reference a bank robbery in progress with an armed suspect. 

Prior to the deputies arriving, a male suspect armed with a handgun entered the bank and walked directly towards a bank teller.  The male suspect reached over the counter and fired a round from the gun towards the feet of the bank teller.  The round did not strike the bank teller, and no one was injured.  The suspect fled the bank with approximately $31,000 in cash prior to the deputies arriving.   

Deputies quickly set up a perimeter and utilized all available resources including the OC Sheriff’s patrol helicopter and search canines to locate the suspect, but were unsuccessful.  Due to the believed direction of travel of the suspect, a nearby elementary school was placed on lockdown for a short period of time while the search was conducted. On a trail near the bank, several items were located and collected in possible connection with the bank robbery. Crime Scene Investigators are currently processing those items.

The suspect is described as a male, 5’6” to 5’10”, thin build and last seen wearing bucket style hat, black mask, yellow-hooded sweatshirt, tan pants, gloves, and a silver revolver style handgun.

Investigators are actively seeking additional information in this case. If anyone has any information that may assist the investigation, they are asked to contact the Orange County Sheriff's Department at 714-647-7000. Anonymous information may be provided through Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.

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In April of 2020, a deputy was involved in a use of force in the City of Laguna Niguel.  The use of force was determined to be within policy.

Please note that due to the size of the files, and depending on download speeds, it could take several minutes for the files to open.

https://cpraazlrshotprod1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/cpraprod1/Mediazip/UOF/UOF.20-013126.zip 

• Read more about 20-013126 Use of Force

In August of 2017, deputies were involved in a use of force at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange.  The use of force was determined to be outside of policy with policy violations addressed and discipline issued. 

Please note that due to the size of the files, and depending on download speeds, it could take several minutes for the files to open.

https://cpraazlrshotprod1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/cpraprod1/Mediazip/SF-Unreasonable%20or%20Excessive%20Force/SF%20of%20Excessive%20Force.17-108.zip

• Read more about 17-108 Use of Force

In December of 2016, deputies were involved in a use of force at the Intake Release Center in Santa Ana.  The use of force was determined to be outside of policy with policy violations addressed and discipline issued. 

Please note that due to the size of the files, and depending on download speeds, it could take several minutes for the files to open.

https://cpraazlrshotprod1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/cpraprod1/Mediazip/SF-Unreasonable%20or%20Excessive%20Force/SF%20of%20Excessive%20Force.17-001.zip
 

• Read more about 17-001 Use of Force

SANTA ANA, Ca. (Oct. 16, 2024):  The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will test its emergency mass notification system, AlertOC, at 10:17 a.m. Oct. 17 with a test emergency alert that will be sent to residents’ mobile devices and home phones. 

The test will replicate a large-scale, multi-jurisdictional emergency requiring thousands of numbers to be called simultaneously across Orange County. 

“Recent earthquake and fire activity serve as an important reminder to us all to be ready for disasters that could happen at any time, disrupting our daily lives,” said Michelle Anderson, County Emergency Manager. “Our goal during National Preparedness Month is to encourage individuals, families, businesses, and community organizations to get involved in preparing at home, work, school, and places of worship. By taking small steps to prepare today, we protect our future.” 

Disasters, such as the state’s historic wildfires or earthquakes, often occur rapidly, forcing evacuations and road closures to neighborhoods. 

AlertOC is a critical link for residents to immediately learn of any required actions, such as evacuating their homes. 

The distinctive feature of AlertOC is the ability for individuals to register multiple contact methods and addresses. Registration of cell phone and alternate numbers dramatically increase the ability to reach the greatest number of community members within minutes. This enables landlines, cell phones, and e-mail addresses to be incorporated into a single notification system.

Residents are encouraged to sign up at AlertOC.gov and also visit ReadyOC.org for emergency preparedness resources, including templates for family plans, checklists to build emergency kits, and more. 

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SANTA ANA, Ca. (Oct. 16, 2024):  National Teen Driver Safety Week is October 20-26. During this week, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department encourages parents and caregivers to talk with their teens about following the rules of the road and how safe driving can help save lives. 

Car crashes are a leading cause of death for teens (15-18 years old) in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 2,514 people killed in crashes involving a teen driver in 2022. In California, young drivers were involved in nearly 12% of all fatal crashes in 2022 despite accounting for only 5% of all licensed drivers in the U.S.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department reminds parents and caregivers to discuss the dangers of risky driving behaviors like speeding, texting while driving, or not wearing a seatbelt. Teens should also understand the serious dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

"Parents and caregivers play a huge part in keeping teens safe on the road,” Orange County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Kyle Ishii said. “Having these meaningful conversations, setting rules, and being a role model for safe driving can help teens make better choices when they’re driving."

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department offers the following tips to parents and guardians for starting conversations about safe driving with teens:

• Provisional Driver’s License: Learn about California’s provisional licensing law, which places restrictions on passengers and driving at night during the first year they have a license.
• Lead by example: Have driving sessions with your teen. Tell, but also show, your teen how to drive safely.
• Set ground rules: Be firm on rules such as no phone use, eliminating distractions by friends, always following the speed limit, and always buckling up. Create a parent-teen driving contract to outline specific driving guidelines.
• Sober driving: Emphasize the importance of never driving impaired or riding with someone who has been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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