Sheriff's donor resigns from reserve
Ritz restaurateur accused of showing badge in Newport parking dispute.
November 11, 2005
Byline: TONY SAAVEDRA and CHRIS KNAP

An Orange County sheriff's reserves volunteer, a major campaign donor to Sheriff Mike Carona, has resigned amid allegations that he flashed his badge during a July 4 dispute over a parking space, dealing another blow to the department's embattled reserves program.

Fred Glusman, owner of The Ritz restaurant in Newport Beach, surrendered his badge last month, although an internal investigation had not concluded, said department spokesman Jim Amormino.

Glusman, who owns homes in Las Vegas and Newport Beach, donated the maximum $1,500 through his business to Carona's re-election bid and hosted a May fundraiser at The Ritz marking the sheriff's 50th birthday. Telephone messages left for Glusman at his businesses in Las Vegas and Orange County were not returned this week.

Glusman's resignation was preceded by the August arrest of a reserve deputy who drew his gun during a golf dispute. The off-duty reserve deputy, Raymond Yi, also served as Carona's martial arts instructor. Besides the misconduct allegations, the program until recently was embroiled in a years-long dispute with the California Commission on Police Standards and Training over 86 reserves who the state contended had not received proper training and background checks. The checks and training will be done under a recent settlement.

Carona said the problems with Yi and Glusman shouldn't reflect poorly on him, the department or the reserves. Despite their personal or political relationship to Carona, Yi and Glusman earned the right to carry department badges, through training and background checks, he said.

"There are no badges or guns given to contributors. If you find one, I'll make sure I personally walk out the door," Carona said. "These are volunteers. We give badges as a form of identification. I don't give anything; you have to earn it."

Carona added that sometimes deputies and volunteers "screw up."

Glusman belonged to the lowest rung of the reserve ladder, the professional services reserves, who do not carry guns or go on patrol, but make themselves available in their fields of expertise.

The "badging" incident involved a hard-to-find parking spot last Fourth of July outside a coffee shop at Island and West Balboa, according to Newport Beach police Sgt. Bill Hartford. The shop owner flagged a traffic-control officer to complain that Glusman had parked in a customer-only spot. Hartford said Glusman showed a badge, which the shop owner took.

"Words were exchanged. Some were unpleasant," Hartford said.

A patrol officer arrived, gave the badge back to Glusman and instructed him that he could not park on private property.

No report was taken, but Hartford said he pieced together the incident after talking with the officers involved.

Sheriff's officials said a written complaint was received by their department and an internal probe was immediately launched.

(714) 796-6930 or tsaavedra@ocregister.com

Copyright 2005 The Orange County Register

Playing political games aids and abets the enemy

Another tarnished badge in the sheriff's department

Letters to the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

I see where one of Sheriff Mike Carona's campaign contributors ... I mean, reserve deputies, had his badge taken away ["Sheriff's donor resigns from reserve," Local, Nov. 11].

The Register's article says that ex-Reserve Fred Glusman belongs to a group of reserves who make themselves available "in their fields of expertise." Glusman is the owner of an expensive restaurant in Newport Beach. How does that equate in any way to law enforcement - unless you count the fundraiser Glusman hosted for Carona in May?

Sheriff Carona has the gall to say his reserves "earn" their badges. The dictionary defines "earn" as "bring in as interest or income." Sounds like a contributor to me. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, sheriff.

Margaret Alexander
Huntington Beach