Board Names Crime Lab After Retired Sheriff
The Orange County Board of Supervisors, overriding its own policy of not naming buildings after county officials who are still living, unanimously agreed Tuesday to put the name of former Sheriff-Coroner Brad Gates on a crime lab building constructed under his tenure.
Gates, who pushed for funding of the state-of-the-art Forensic Science Center, retired at the end of last year from the post he held for 24 years.
“I can think of no more fitting tribute to Brad Gates than to name the sheriff’s forensic building after him,” said Chairman Charles V. Smith, who joined Supervisor James Silva in supporting the measure.
Silva said that Gates had sought high standards for the department and promoted plans for a lab with such high-technology equipment as those that analyze DNA, Silva said.
Gates also showed exceptional leadership after the 1994 county bankruptcy in his role among the county’s top three managers, Silva said.
Supervisor Cynthia Coad, who had doubted whether she could approve the measure, changed her mind during the meeting after a liberal interpretation of the board’s 1995 policy was given by County Counsel Laurence M. Watson.
Watson told supervisors they had authority to repeal the policy or make an exception.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
