Brad Gates

Brad Gates
Gates in 1985
11th Sheriff-Coroner of Orange County, California
In office 1975–1999
Preceded by	James A. Musick
Succeeded by	Mike Carona
Personal details
Born	(1939-03-27)March 27, 1939 Orange, California, U.S.
Died	October 25, 2024(2024-10-25) (aged 85)
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Dee Dee Gates ​ (m. 1961)​
Children	2
Residence	San Juan Capistrano, California
Education	Orange Coast College Cal State Long Beach B.S. and M.S., Criminology

Bradley Lorison Gates (March 27, 1939 – October 25, 2024) was an American law enforcement official who served as the 11th Sheriff-Coroner of Orange County, California, from 1975 until 1999.

Early life

Bradley Lorison Gates was born in Orange, California, on March 27, 1939. He was the third of four children in his family. During his childhood, his family moved to San Juan Capistrano, California, where he would later attend Capistrano Union High School. As a teenager, Gates worked as a paperboy, busboy, and a drugstore janitor. He first studied at Orange Coast College before transferring to California State University, Long Beach, where he received a bachelor's degree and master's degree in criminology. He pursued a doctorate at Claremont Graduate University.[1]

Career

Gates first joined the Orange County Sheriff's Department in 1961. With the pending retirement of longtime Sheriff-Coroner Jim Musick, Gates assembled a campaign for the position in 1974. His campaign received endorsements from Musick and actor John Wayne, a resident of Orange County at the time.[2][3] On June 4, Gates won the election, receiving 29,093 votes and beating the runner-up by over 23,000 votes.[4] While Gates was a sheriff-elect, he was promoted to undersheriff in a unanimous county board vote on July 9.[5] Gates took the office on January 6, 1975, and proposed a reorganization of the sheriff's department the following day.[6]

By 1997, Gates had lost support from several prominent Republicans due to his proposal that taxes be raised in order to alleviate the 1994 Orange County bankruptcy. Republican state senators Rob Hurtt and John Lewis were among several who switched their allegiances to Mike Carona, a police marshal who announced in March 1997 that he would run against Gates. On October 16, Gates announced at a press conference that he would not seek re-election in 1998.[1]

Death

Gates died on October 25, 2024, at the age of 85.[7]

References

1. Pasco, Jean; Grad, Shelby (16 October 1997). "Sheriff Gates Will Bow Out, Sources Say". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
2. "Brad Gates for Sheriff". Los Angeles Times. 21 May 1974. p. 6. Retrieved 23 September 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "The Sheriff wants Brad Gates to be Sheriff". Los Angeles Times. 29 May 1974. p. 8. Retrieved 23 September 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Supervisor Races Enliven Primary". Los Angeles Times. 5 June 1974. p. 23. Retrieved 23 September 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Gates Named Undersheriff". Los Angeles Times. 10 July 1974. p. 9. Retrieved 23 September 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Gates Proposes Reorganization of Sheriff's Office". Los Angeles Times. 8 January 1975. p. 4. Retrieved 23 September 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Former OC Sheriff Brad Gates Dies at 85". My News LA. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.

External Links

• Brad Gates at IMDb