AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: MAY 2017 37 I t’s amazing how fast things can change. Just a few months back it was a mutual love fest between local law enforce- ment and federal officials. Talk about a short honey- moon. The latest beef between local LE and the feds is a DHS report about the Theo Lacy Jail, run by Orange County (CA) Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, that speaks vol- umes about the increasing discord between local, state and federal officials. Hutchens addressed what she thought were problems with the DHS report in writ- ing. “Several things in the re- port were not accurate and did a disservice to the hard working individuals who op- erate our custody facilities. Unfortunately, some media outlets choose to cover the report in a sensational man- ner that painted a mislead- ing ‘Shawshank-like’ picture of Orange County jail facili- ties,” Hutchins said. The Sheriff noted that the report was based on an inspection done by the De- partment of Homeland Se- curity’s Office of Inspector General in November 2016. Some legitimate issues were identified in the report and were quickly addressed. “But many of the other issues raised were inaccu- rate and can be refuted,” Hutchins said. “In an effort to provide the public with transparency and a more accurate account of our operations, I have itemized the concerns raised in the report and provided our response.” And in case you were wondering, Hutchens is not among the majority of law enforcement executives that are not interested in helping the Trump administration’s illegal immigration crack- downs. Hutchens went on to say, “It is important to note that all Orange County facilities are inspected on a regular basis by multiple govern- ment agencies and indepen- dent oversight authorities. Our facilities that are used to house ICE detainees receive two to four formal inspections each year, with dedicated ICE personnel who also perform other inspections on a near-daily basis. “With such oversight and scrutiny, the public must know that their jail facilities are operated in accordance with all state and federal standards. I remain proud of the work the men and women of the Sheriff’s De- partment do to operate our custody facilities in a way that provides for the safety of both the public and in- mates,” Sheriff Hutchens wrote. One might come to the conclusion that DHS might not want to alienate one of the larger agencies willing to do the federal government’s job for free in the most pop- ulous state in the union. But professional courtesy frequently seems to end at the line separating local and federal law enforcement. Sheriff blasts new jail report, supports deputies “Unfortunately, some media outlets choose to cover the report in a sensational man- ner that painted a mislead- ing ‘Shawshank-like’ picture of Orange County jail facili- ties,” Hutchins said.