Demand the Resignation of Sheriff Sandra Hutchens

Sheriff Hutchens began her career with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. While in LA, she was able to rise through the ranks despite a controversial deadly shooting in 1980, when she fatally shot a 33-year old man. The death resulted in a $1.3 million wrongful death suit – the largest police misconduct verdict in California at the time. She retired in 2007 as the division chief under former LASD Sheriff Lee Baca.

Still in 2008, Hutchens was appointed as sheriff-coroner by the Orange County Board of Supervisors. She was elected to serve a full term in June 2010 and was re-elected in June 2014.

In the beginning, the county liked Hutchens. County officials and members of the public had high hopes that she would reform the Orange County Sheriff’s Department following the resignation of scandal-plagued Mike Carona.

Over time, complaints of violence and inhumane conditions of confinement surfaced. As if that was not enough, several high-profile controversies, including the jailhouse informant scandal, modification of the IGSA agreement with ICE to increase jail bed space for immigrant detainees, continued partnership with ICE through the 287(g) agreement, 2016 jail escape and sheriff’s deputies union lawsuit, have come to light under her leadership or lack-thereof.

Yet, time and time again, Hutchens has denied any problems exist inside the OC jail system. She has ignored multiple calls for reform and has failed to take action.

We're past warning signs. It is time we come to terms with what Hutchens has allowed to transpire in the jails. Orange County residents deserve a Sheriff they can be proud of. We cannot ignore this any longer.

Enough is enough. Let’s hold the sheriff accountable for her actions and inaction.

Sign the petition now, and demand the immediate resignation of Sheriff Sandra Hutchens!

Call for Sheriff Hutchens to resign

Sheriff Sandra Hutchens:

As an OC resident, I join the ACLU SoCal in demanding you resign immediately as sheriff of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Your failure to remedy the unlawful conditions that have persisted in the county jail system for years despite several calls for reform is unacceptable. To make matters worse, you continue to downplay, deny and ignore many controversies, including:

  • Unlawfully utilizing jailhouse informants to obtain confessions and deliberately concealing the evidence from defense attorneys;
  • Your department being the only California law enforcement agency that still partners with ICE through its 287(g) agreement;
  • Increasing the number of jail beds for immigrant detainees by modifying your IGSA agreement with ICE; and
  • Three individuals escaping from the Central Men's jail in 2016.

You are not the Sheriff I or the County of Orange deserve. We demand you resign immediately!