Assistant sheriff quits his volunteer position

Marisa O’Neil

Orange County Assistant Sheriff Don Haidl announced his retirement on

Friday, saying he wants to spend more time with his family.

Haidl, a 53-year-old Corona del Mar businessman, has held the

unpaid volunteer position for more than five years and has worked in

volunteer law enforcement positions for the past 20 years, he said.

His son, 19-year-old Greg Haidl, is currently awaiting retrial on

charges that he and two friends gang-raped an unconscious 16-year-old

girl in Don Haidl’s Corona del Mar home in 2002.

The time was right to retire, Don Haidl said.

“Over the last five years, I’ve done a lot of work, and it’s taken

time away from family,” Don Haidl said Friday evening. “With what’s

happened the last couple years, it’s just time.”

As an assistant sheriff appointed by Sheriff Michael S. Carona ,

Don Haidl oversaw the volunteer reserve division of the department,

Sheriff spokesman Jim Amormino said. Under the assistant sheriff’s

watch, reserve membership grew 300% to 600, Amormino said.

Don Haidl has worked in similar volunteer positions for other

departments, including the San Bernardino County Sheriff, he said.

“Don has worked tirelessly for the past 20 years,” said Joseph

Cavallo, who represented Greg Haidl in his first trial. “He has given

every ounce of blood in every vein to public service and public

safety. It’s time for Don to retire, and I applaud his decision to

retire and give his time to his family.”

The assistant sheriff position brought additional scrutiny on his

son, while the 19-year-old was on trial, Don Haidl said. In his

resignation letter to Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona, he said the

accusations “put a spotlight upon us and has been both heartbreaking

and burdensome.”

Don Haidl cited his work establishing an Environmental Protection

Agency task force in the county as one of his proudest achievements

in the department. He also brought in a professional service program

of doctors, lawyers and other professionals to donate their

expertise, Amormino said.

“He’s done a lot of positive things for the county,” Amormino

said.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4268 or by e-mail at [email protected].