The following Press Release comes from OC Sheriff Sandra Hutchens Public Affairs Office:
SHERIFF-CORONER DEPARTMENT COUNTY OF ORANGE CALIFORNIA
550 NORTH FLOWER STREET – P.O. BOX 449
SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92702-0449
(714) 647-7042
SANDRA HUTCHENS
SHERIFF-CORONER
December 29, 2009
PRESS RELEASE
FIRST CLASS OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ASSISTANTS
GRADUATES, READY TO WORK IN JAILS IN JANUARY
A class of 23 men and women completed nine weeks of corrections training and will
graduate Tuesday evening as the first Correctional Services Assistants (CSA’s) in the 120 year long history of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
Sheriff Sandra Hutchens set a goal for the new worker classification to eventually staff 35 percent of the positions in the Department’s jails.
The CSA’s will assist sworn personnel with monitoring inmate movement, maintaining order and controlling entry and exit to jail facilities. They have received the same POST certified corrections training as do Deputies and Sheriff’s Special Officers assigned to the jails. The program is expected to save the Department about $10 million a year when it is fully operational.
For their first six weeks of duty in the jails, the CSA’s will work directly with Facility Training Officers.
The introduction of CSA’s into the jail workforce will provide more opportunity for Deputies to transfer to patrol and help them advance more rapidly toward their ultimate career goals.
Press inquiries should be directed to the Sheriff’s Public Affairs Office
at 714-647-7042
Juice readers. Do you favor or oppose this cost cutting policy
Email respoinse:
“Larry
They call these same unarmed guards Custody Assistants in L A County. They receive the first phase , but not all, of the training that a deputy sheriff receives. Is she planning to implement mre changes based on her experience working in the L A County system?
Henry”
Acually Larry, Jack Anderson pushed for this when he was interim sheriff. She just followed up with getting it accomplished.
Email response:
“Larry,
Love the cost cutting at first glance, but a deeper look will reveal one big problem. The correctional Services Assistants will be much more susceptible to corruption. I worked the jail system in the eighties and it was always the lowest paid employees that succumbed to inmate pressure and got in trouble. I mean no disrespect to the individuals who have spent the last eight weeks working for and anticipating their new jobs, I just know human nature and how corruption starts.
Deputies have the possibility for advancement and a meaningful career in many areas of law enforcement and they are decently paid for the risks they face. After a few years working in the jail atmosphere with all its unique pressures, ( It’s very hard to understand if you haven’t worked there.) what will these new employees have to look forward to? With the county saving 10 million a year it’s not going to be great raises and advancement. They will just get more crap dumped on them and be susceptible to bribes from the oh so slick inmates that have 24-7 to think of ways to get to the weakest link in the command chain.
As for deputies having greater opportunity, I doubt it. There are only so many spots in patrol and as I understand they open with advancement and retirement just like always. I think we will see the jails being run by much less qualified individuals and the ranks of highly trained and qualified deputies becoming less and less. I hope I’m wrong.
I hope and pray for the best for all of the dedicated Orange County Sheriff’s Department employees.
Respectfully Submitted
xxxxx”
So, are these new employees eligible for the 3% at 50 retirement plan that Deputies receive, or something less?
First of all Jack Anderson dosne’t do anything unless it benefits him. He cares NOTHING for rank and File just doing what he can to make himself look good to the BOS. He was a LOUSY acting Sheriff and Sheriff Hutchens did a GREAT thing in getting rid of him.