Mountain Views News          Saturday, August 30, 2014

SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 2014

SECTION B

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN


“What’s Going On?” 

News and Views from Joan Schmidt


THE NEW INSPECTOR GENERAL

Recently I 
noted that 
Inspector 
General Max 
Huntsman was 
introduced 
at Supervisor 
Mike 
Antonovich’ s 
annual Police 
Chiefs Luncheon. Huntsman actually assumed 
this position on January 2, 2014. He was appointed 
by the Board of Supervisors upon recommendation 
of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Jail Violence. 
(LAPD has had an Inspector General for more 
than 20 years after the Christopher Commission’s 
recommendation following the Rodney King 
beating and LA Riots.)

 Huntsman came to this position very qualified. 
His education includes a Bachelor of Arts from UC 
Santa Cruz and a Juris Doctorate from Yale. Prior 
to assuming his position as Inspector General, 
he served as Los Angeles Deputy DA from 1991-
2013 where he specialized in public corruption 
and white collar crime. A few of his many notable 
prosecutions include: People v. Rizzo, Spaccia 
(Misappropriation of public funds, City of Bell:); 
People v. Destefano, et al (LA Coliseum, Bribery 
and conflict prosecution arising out of fatal “rave 
concerts”); People v. Ludlow (Top L.A. Union 
official funneling union money into city council 
campaigns.); People v. Gardner (Tried the largest 
state money-laundering case in California history 
arising out of a multi-million dollar capping 
operation run by Dr. David Gardner)

 What exactly is the Office of Inspector General? 
Deputy Inspector Daniel Baker gave me the 
following information taken from the Proposed 
Code of Ordinances, section 6.44.190: 

 The Office if the Inspector General (OIG) 
is charged with providing independent and 
comprehensive oversight of the Sheriff’s 
Department and its facilities. The Office has four 
primary functions:

 Monitoring the Department’s operations, 
conditions of the jail facilities, and the Department’s 
response to inmate and public complaints.

 Reviewing periodically the Department’s uses 
of force, the Department’s investigations of force 
incidents and allegations of misconduct, and the 
Department’s disciplinary decisions.

 Reviewing the quality of the Department’s own 
audits and inspections.

 Communicating regularly with the public, the 
Board of Supervisors and the Department regarding 
the Department’s operations.

 The OIG also receives and with permission of 
the complainant, refers complaints about specific 
conduct to the Department for action. If the OIG 
determines the Department has not, after being 
given an opportunity to investigate the incident, 
conducted an adequate investigation, the OIG 
may, without interfering with the Department’s 
investigative functions, conduct its own 
investigations, and the OIG currently reports to the 
Board of Supervisors.

 Because this Office of the Inspector General 
has been established, the LA County Board of 
Supervisors voted against creating a civilian 
oversight commission. It also no longer contracts 
with the Office of Independent Review or Special 
Council Merrick Bobb. I feel the establishment of 
the Inspector General office with Max Huntsman 
at its helm and its reporting to the Board of 
Supervisors will bring positive changes to the 
Sheriff’s Department.


LOS ANGELES COUNTY — Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, along with Chief Daryl L. Osby and 
members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, marked the fifth anniversary of the Station Fire 
by honoring the memory of Fire Captain Ted Hall and Fire Fighter Specialist Arnie Quinones. 

“Ted and Arnie will be remembered as proud, cherished family men, and courageous firefighters who 
were steadfast in their quest for excellence, hard work and completion of the mission,” said Antonovich 
of the two men who lost their lives battling the fire. 

The Station Fire, one of the largest fires in L.A. County history, began on August 30, 2009 and burned 
over 160,000 acres and more than 100 homes and structures. 


FEINSTEIN: WEST COAST NEEDS EARTHQUAKE 

EARLY-WARNING SYSTEM

Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) 
today released the following statement on the 
earthquake in Napa, Calif., and the need for an 
earthquake early-warning system:

 “With more than 100 injured and estimates of 
damage approaching $1 billion, the Napa earthquake 
reminds us how incredibly dangerous these temblors 
can be. There’s no doubt a major earthquake will hit 
California, the only questions are when and where.

 “I believe an integrated earthquake early-warning 
system is essential to save lives and property. Two bills 
from the Senate Appropriations Committee move us 
toward that goal. The bill to fund the Department 
of the Interior includes $5 million to begin work on 
an early-warning system, while the bill to fund the 
Department of Homeland Security urges FEMA to 
prioritize grant funds for such a system. These bills 
will advance this fall and I will continue to prioritize 
funding for this system.

“An earthquake early-warning system would provide 
crucial time to carry out lifesaving actions. A 
warning of even a handful of seconds would allow for 
emergency notifications to be sent; trains and traffic to 
be slowed or stopped; supplies of oil, gas and chemicals 
to be turned off; nuclear plants to be safeguarded; even 
elevators to be safely emptied.

“What we need is the political resolve to deploy such 
a system. Officials in Washington and along the West 
Coast should partner with the private sector to make 
an interoperable earthquake early-warning system a 
reality, and we should do so as soon as possible before 
a much larger earthquake strikes.”

The Contractors State License Board 

invites you to a 

SENIOR SCAM STOPPER SEMINAR

Friday, September 12, 2014

10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

South Pasadena Senior Center

1102 Oxley Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030

Protect Yourself

One in five seniors has been a victim of fraud.

Seniors are the most targeted group.

New scams are developed constantly.

Join us and learn how to protect yourself.Seniors, 

their families, and are welcome to attend 

this free seminar.

For more information or to RSVP, please visit my website.


Inside This Section:

The World Around Us * Business News & Trends * 
Opinion * SMTV CHANNEL 98 GUIDE * Legal Notices


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