Walters Wins Support for County Sheriff Post

Police Chief Paul M. Walters on Monday won the endorsement of his own police officers and of the Assn. of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs in his bid to be the county’s next sheriff.

Both organizations also endorsed Superior Court Judge Anthony J. Rackaukas Jr. in the race for Dist. Atty. Michael R. Capizzi’s job.

Walters is running against Orange County Marshal Michael S. Carona in the June 2 race, and Rackaukas is running against Assistant Dist. Atty. Wallace J. Wade.

“It’s great, it’s really outstanding,” Walters said. “I think its essential to have the confidence of your own people.”

The county sheriffs association has 1,300 members; the Santa Ana Police Officers’ Assn. numbers about 550.

The decisions were made by the groups’ political action committees, after all announced candidates were interviewed at a forum at the Doubletree Hotel in Orange.

Carona has won the backing of several local Republican leaders, including former Assembly Speaker Curt Pringle and state GOP leader Rob Hurtt.

Earlier this month, Sheriff Brad Gates’ anointed successor, Assistant Sheriff Douglas D. Storm, announced that after six weeks of campaigning, he decided the political part of the job “just isn’t for me” and dropped out of the race.

The election will place a new leader in the Sheriff’s Department for the first time in 24 years.

In his many elections, Gates usually faced token opposition and ran unopposed in 1994.