Orange County’s Homeland Security

Prior to my arrival at the Board of Supervisors, the County developed a comprehensive emergency response and resource allocation plan designed primarily to respond to civil unrest, wild lands fires, hazmat incidents, urban flooding and weapons of mass destruction incidents.  These plans guided our actions in the immediate response to the acts of terrorism against America on September 11.

The September 11 attacks highlighted critical gaps in funding, as well as the abilities of both the public and private sectors at the federal, state, and local levels to anticipate and coordinate an effective response to attacks on our Nation’s homeland by international terrorists. In response, immediate actions were taken at all levels of the County.  A universal, strategic counter-terrorism plan including Orange County’s participation in the national anti-terrorism mutual aid structure was developed and implemented.  The plan was designed to ensure the needs of Orange County residents, as well as the business community, were met while still complementing and supporting the National Homeland Security Doctrine. 

As a result of many years of cooperative effort among the public safety leaders of Orange County, I am proud to support the continued funding of various programs that form Orange County’s Homeland Security Strategy.  This strategy coordinates a comprehensive effort to allocate resources, educate the public, train professionals and volunteers as well as respond to threats against County residents and infrastructure. 

One program is the Terrorism Working Group formed to address first responder safety issues, incident management and public health consequences of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) incidents that result from acts of terrorism.  The Terrorism Working Group membership consists of law enforcement, fire agencies, HazMat, Public Health, Emergency Medical Services, the F.B.I., Bomb squads, hospitals, ambulance providers, vector control, animal control, coroner, and volunteer law enforcement advisory components. There are four subcommittees with specific mission areas.  The training/equipment subcommittee provides training information to public service entities countywide, reviews existing equipment inventory, develops standards for future equipment, and identifies grant opportunities.  This subcommittee obtained and is in the process of distributing 1,200 personal protective suits to law and fire first responders in the County and has also been able to enhance the response capability of the County’s Bomb Squad through the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment.  (Appendix E)

Another program is the Terrorism Early Warning Group (TEWG).  The Terrorism Early Warning Group is a multi-disciplinary subcommittee to the Terrorism Working Group designed to obtain and analyze information and intelligence needed to formulate an effective response to threats and acts of terrorism. As part of the Terrorism Early Warning Group mission, a threat and vulnerability assessment of potential terrorist targets in Orange County.  After September 11th, the Orange County Terrorism Early Warning Group became fully integrated into the national mutual aid structure increasing the number of agency participants.

One additional program I believe is worthy of noting is the Private Sector Terrorism Response Group (PSTRG) formed by the Sheriff shortly after September 11, 2001, to create a private sector partnership with the Terrorism Early Warning Group to effectively address private sector safety, incident management, employee education and public health consequences of potential terrorist attacks on the critical infrastructure within Orange County.  Along with independent employers, three large groups involved with the Private Sector Terrorism Response Group are the Orange County Business Council; Technet, a consortium of 28 high tech firms; and the Orange County Forum for Corporate Directors. The objectives include physical resource sharing, information exchange, virtual reach-back capabilities, and subject/industry matter expert cross-utilization.  Orange County businesses employ over 1.4 million residents.  This is an instrument which allows our Sheriff to maximize all resources and prepare community members for the potentiality of terrorism and recovery in its aftermath.  

Lastly, as a part of maintaining preparedness, I’ll mention the Orange County Joint Terrorism Task Force (OCJTTF).  Immediately after the attack on America, the Sheriff brought together the Orange County Chiefs of Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice to discuss the formation of a Joint Terrorism Task Force.  As a result, 20 police agencies joined with five State and Federal agencies to comprise the FBI-led Orange County Joint Terrorism Task Force. 

Orange County has consistently led the nation in performing innovative exercises to test emergency preparedness for both natural and man-caused disasters.  Annual drills are held involving the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, wild fires, urban floods, earthquakes and civil unrest to assess the viability of emergency plans and operational directives. Continuation and expansion of exercises allows evaluation of response capabilities and identify resource needs through formal grading (FEMA) or after-action review.

Serrano Creek Restoration

One of my District priorities is the permanent restoration of Serrano Creek in Lake Forest. Several homes in the Autumnwood community are threatened by severe bank erosion near their back yards. The excess sediment from the creek banks is filling in the Upper Newport Bay, which have degraded the wetlands. The Army Corps and the Coastal Conservancy have funded some of the $40 million dredging costs, which is wonderful, but unless we can repair the upstream slopes, we’re going to have to find more funding in the future and who knows how expensive dredging will be then!

Thanks to hard work by County staff, the City of Lake Forest, and the Irvine Ranch Water District, first steps towards restoration of Serrano Creek have been taken. An interim slope repair project was completed a year ago, and will “buy” us time until we can complete the needed technical studies and obtain funding to complete slope restoration of Serrano Creek. The County is actively seeking funding and working with potential cost-share partners throughout the region and the state. Securing funding for the project is critical since the protection of homes depends on the permanent solution being implemented.

Fiscal Stability – Reducing the County’s Unfunded Liability

I continue to work with my Board Colleagues to ensure our County remains financially healthy.  One area we tackled in 2007 that has reduced the unfunded liability in our employee health plans was restructuring the Retiree Medical Plans.  The Board held a series of discussions with various labor organizations over several months.  The purpose of these meetings was to identify ways to restructure the Retiree Medical Plan and make it sustainable within existing resources.  Our Board also approved agreements with various County employee associations on these plans reducing the County’s previous unfunded liability of $1.4 billion dollars to $598 million while continuing to provide a variety of medical plans for both current and retired employees.  I will continue to carefully monitor recommendations to the Board that affect our bottom-line and work with the Board to find additional avenues to reduce and eliminate our unfunded liability.

Aliso Creek SUPER Project

Another priority project from the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP) is the Aliso Creek Water Quality SUPER Project which will result in a restored creek, improved water quality, and increased sewer line protection. This project has broad local, state and federal support. The US Army Corps of Engineers conducted a Watershed Feasibility Study and identified a number of water resource issues including erosion, habitat damage and exposed sewer lines. Coupled with high levels of bacteria from urban runoff, these elements rolled became the SUPER project. Restoration of Aliso Creek will undoubtedly enhance the visitor experience and habitat value of Aliso and Woods Canyon Wilderness Park.

Enforcing Immigration Laws

The mission of the Orange County Sheriff’s Cross Designation program is to reduce crime, reduce jail overcrowding, reduce recidivism, and improve the quality of life in our communities.

The Cross Designation program originated during a meeting between Sheriff Michael Carona, Orange County Supervisor Campbell and Congressman Christopher Cox. A possible solution arose to alleviate jail overcrowding and recidivism during a meeting on September 15, 2003.  Section 287 (g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides for the Department of Homeland Security to enter into written agreements with counties for the purpose of establishing a “Cross Designation Program.” Locally, the program gives trained deputies the authority to perform certain duties of an immigration officer.  A Memorandum of Agreement was established to provide for the training and certification of Orange County Sheriff’s Deputies assigned to Jail Operations.  On October 17, 2006, the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved the Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Pursuant to the Memorandum of Agreement, two sergeants and 12 deputies entered a four week course taught by instructors from Department of Homeland Security.  The course of study included, but was not limited to; issues related to immigration, nationality law and procedures.  The sergeants and deputies successfully graduated from the course on December 21, 2006.

Currently, two sergeants and eight deputies are assigned to the Intake Release Center and four deputies are assigned to the Theo Lacy Facility.  Collectively, they form the ICE Cross Designation program and actively conduct interviews of all foreign nationals booked into our jail system.  In the first month of operation, ICE trained deputies have more than doubled the average amount of immigration holds previously placed on criminal foreign nationals by Immigration Customs Enforcement agents.

To gauge the unit’s efficiency, statistical data is collected on a weekly basis.  Per the Memorandum of Agreement, the data is shared with the Department of Homeland Security by way of a steering committee.  The steering committee meets periodically to review the performance of the unit and to insure compliance with existing rules and regulations.  The statistical data collected includes the number of inmates booked, initially interviewed, ICE interviewed, holds placed, aggravated felons, felons, misdemeanors, and their gender. As of this date, ICE Cross Designation deputies have interviewed more than twice as many inmates booked for felony charges as those who have been booked for misdemeanor charges.

Water Conservation & Supply

South County must rely largely on imported water to meet our growing demands. Any water conservation program or project we can implement now is going to go a long way toward ensuring water supplies for future generations. I’m proud to say that water conservation is going to get a big funding boost over the next several years thanks to the efforts of the County’s Watershed & Coastal Resources Division.

Through a collaborative County-led effort, South County Cities and water agencies worked together to develop a successful grant proposal for the recent Proposition 50, Chapter 8, Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP) funds. The result is $25 million for priority projects in the 5th District! Priority projects include an expanded rebate program for weather-based irrigation controllers, and a rebate program for structural conversion of existing landscapes. Programs like these will undoubtedly make a visible dent in our residential water consumption, which conserves water for critical uses like fire protection and emergency storage.

Recently, I participated in a briefing on the proposed Upper Chiquita Reservoir Project.  Details of the Santa Margarita Water District reservoir, to be built between Coto de Caza and Rancho Santa Margarita, were presented and I was informed about the upcoming environmental and public review process involved with the project.

In light of the recent statewide attention to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, from looming reductions of water supplies available to Southern California to the condition of the Delta itself, I continue to remain focused on South County water issues. 

Construction of the Upper Chiquita Reservoir will provide South County with substantial new water reserves to meet customer demand during disruptions of water deliveries to the Fifth District.  These interruptions can be unanticipated, such as a primary pipeline break, or scheduled, such as the recent shutdown of the Diemer Filtration Plant in Yorba Linda.  The new reservoir, planned as an emergency supply storage facility, will be the largest domestic water storage site in South County – capable of providing upwards of 168,000 families with approximately 200 gallons of fresh water a day for a week.

The proposed reservoir is to be located on the western slope of Chiquita Canyon, north of Oso Parkway, on approximately 24 acres of land within the City of Rancho Santa Margarita.  The draft environmental impact report will be submitted for public review at a meeting in October and public hearings will be held in January 2008.  Construction is planned for spring 2008 with the anticipated operation of the reservoir sometime in spring 2010.

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