Behind the Star

The sudden, unexpected loss of a loved one is a most difficult time for family members, friends, and loved ones of the deceased. When that loss is the result of a criminal act, suicide, or violent accident the tragedy becomes unbearable.  OCSO Victim Advocate Koreen Baker talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the Victim Advocate Squad and its role assisting crime victims or family membe...

Orange County native Captain Joe Carter oversees more than 110 deputies in Sector I in Northwest Orange County. Carter, who has been with OCSO for 30 years, talks with Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about community policing, how the agency has changed since 1990 and why he loves his community. 

The Orange County Sheriff's Office Reserve Unit is made up of more than 70 volunteer deputies. A Reserve Deputy has the same "police power" as a full-time Orange County Deputy Sheriff. OCSO Reserve Chief Deputy Ross Wolf talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the Reserve Unit and why it's beneficial to the agency.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Team is tasked with solving cases that, for whatever reason, have gone cold over the years. Corporal Dave Nutting and Det. Kevin Wilson talk to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the difficulty of solving cold cases and what OCSO is doing to bring justice to victims and their families. 

The wellness program at the Orange County Sheriff's Office works with employees in many areas of wellness, including fitness, nutrition, stress management, weight management and finances. Senior Wellness Analyst Valerie Reed talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the variety of classes, programs and events OCSO offers its employees. 

The Orange County Sheriff's Office has more than 2,200 vehicles, from patrol cars to motorcycles. Fleet Management services and repairs many of those vehicles. Acting Fleet Supervisor Bob Jewell talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about how his team keeps OCSO on the road.  

Coronavirus and COVID-19 has dramatically changed life in America. At the Orange County Sheriff's Office, Lt. Bill Bartlett oversees Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Bartlett talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about how the agency is responding to Coronavirus, how it trains for a pandemic and what OCSO is doing to keep deputies safe.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office Agricultural Crimes Unit is tasked with protecting domestic animals and livestock in the county. Sgt. Al Giardiello and Master Deputy Drew Risser talk to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the role of the unit and what happens when someone is accused of animal cruelty. 

Behind the Star host and OCSO Storyteller Jon Busdeker passes the mic to Deputy Christian Marrero for this special episode. Marrero, a Public Information Officer, interviews Busdeker about the role of the OCSO Storyteller, how he finds stories to profile and how Busdeker ended up at the agency. 

Orange County Sheriff John Mina sits down with Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker to answer submitted questions from civilians and law enforcement officers of the Orange County Sheriff's Office. 

The Orange County Sheriff's Office Forensics Firearms Section is made up of specialists who test and review more than 1,000 guns each year. Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker talks to Firearms Specialists Amanda Vibert and Mila Tran about the role of the firearms section, how they test-fire hundreds of guns and what happens to "crime guns".  

The Orange County Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit is made up of 20 dogs and handlers. The specialized unit assists patrol deputies in apprehensions, tracking and more. Master Deputy and K-9 Handler Jeff Stinson talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the role of the dogs, how the dogs are trained and how they help OCSO deputies. 

Sector 2 encompasses all of East Orange County for a total of 408 square miles, making it the largest sector patrolled by the Orange County Sheriff's Office.  Sector 2 Captain Susan Wallis talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the challenges of patrolling a place with more than 400,000 permanent residents.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team draws some of the most dangerous assignments. The elite team is trained in the use of advanced tactics and specialized weapons and equipment. Captain Todd Payne and Lieutenant Dennis Ela talk to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about OCSO SWAT. 

The Orange County Sheriff's Office Professional Standards Section is, in essence, one of its quality control centers. Allegations of inappropriate behavior, misconduct or failure to follow agency rules and policies are typically investigated by Professional Standards. Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker talks to Captain Carlos Espinoza of the Professional Standards Section. 

Before any deputy or civilian begins working at the Orange County Sheriff's Office, they must go through an extensive background investigation. That process, which can take up to 5 months, includes a background check, credit check, voice stress analysis test and several rounds of interviews. Sworn staff recruiter Jeff Tramonte and Recruiting and Background Section Supervisor Jon Nichols talk to Be...

The Sex Crimes Unit at the Orange County Sheriff's Office handles some of the region's most heinous crimes, including child sex crimes, sexual battery and child pornography. Detective Corporal Nikki Harper talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about how the unit handles cases and what it's doing to combat sex crimes in the Orange County. (Some material in this episode may not be suitable for...

The Legal Services Section at the Orange County Sheriff's Office serves as in-house counsel to the agency's 2,400 employees. General Counsel Austin Moore talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the legal staff and its role at the Sheriff's Office, from forfeiture cases to labor issues to when the agency decides to pursue a lawsuit. 

Look up and you may see an Orange County Sheriff's Office helicopter. The Aviation Section patrols the skies above Orange County. Master Deputy Jason Sams, a Tactical Flight Officer, talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about catching bad guys from above, why lasers are dangerous for helicopter pilots and how the Aviation Section can save lives. 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Domestic Violence Unit at the Orange County Sheriff's Office handles more than 5,600 domestic violence reports and 3,300 arrests each year. OCSO Corporal Jessie Bourque and Jessie Motley, Early Victim Engagement Advocate for Harbor House, talk with host Jon Busdeker about how the Sheriff's Office combats domestic violence, the signs of domestic vio...

Every year, the Orange County Sheriff's Office Communications Center receives more than a million phone calls. The center, located in east Orange County, is where more than 200 operators answer both emergency and non-emergency calls. This week, Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker talks with Cynthia Jefferson, a manager and 20-year veteran of the Communications Center. Jefferson talks about what happ...

The Community Relations Division at the Orange County Sheriff's Office oversees more than a dozen agency initiatives, including community barbecues, award ceremonies and Citizens on Patrol. Lieutenant Alex Greenberg and Sergeant Menachem Green sat down with Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker to discuss the role of Community Relations and how it's helping build trust in the Orange County community.

If there's a homicide in Orange County, several units within the Orange County Sheriff's Office are alerted. Two of those units - Strategic Communications and the Homicide Unit - work closely to release information to the public. How, what and when information is released is vital to any investigation.  On this week's Behind the Star, host Jon Busdeker speaks with Captain Carlos Torres of Strategi...

What is the role of the Undersheriff? Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker talks with Mark Canty, Undersheriff at the Orange County Sheriff's Office. A native of Central Florida and West Orange High School grad, Canty played football at Northwestern University and later worked for the Urban League of Central Florida. He spent 22 years at the Orlando Police Department before joining the Orange County...

Master Deputy Stanley Murray is the Chaplain Coordinator at the Orange County Sheriff's Officer. Murray oversees a team of more than 20 chaplains of various faiths at the agency. Murray sat down with Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker to discuss the role of the chaplain and how chaplains respond to traumatic calls for help.