The Orange County Sheriff’s Department released a press statement yesterday afternoon following a press conference where Sheriff Sandra Hutchens announced she has breast cancer.

On November 9, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The cancer was caught early and is curable. It will require a treatment program and a few constraints with some of the activities I regularly handle over the next 6-8 months, “said Sheriff Hutchens.

At the end of that time, I will be back to my usual self. I will stay fully engaged with my duties and responsibilities as Sheriff-Coroner of Orange County and I plan to run for a second term in 2014.

As always, it is an honor to serve as your Sheriff and I thank you all for your continued support.

While we may disagree with the sheriff on her restraint of certain fundamental rights in the county, she has proven to be a changing force in the OCSD. She has presented leadership where there was a distinct lack in the past. And, her department continues to improve and move forward in spite of budgetary constraints. We know she can beat this and we look forward to her continued leadership for our sheriffs department.