I AM A DEPUTY SHERIFF AT THE JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT. AT THE LISTED DATE/TIME I WAS PATROLLING THE AREA OF OPERATION (RUNWAY) AND PARKED. I NOTICED AN ORANGE ORB EMITTING A FAIRLY INTENSE LIGHT. I CALLED THE CONTROL CENTER (DISPATCH) AND THEY ALSO SAW THE OBJECT. THE OBJECT WAS AT A 30 DEGREE ANGLE FROM ME DIRECTLY WEST OF THE AIRPORT OVER THE CITY OF COSTA MESA. THE OBJECT STAYED STATIONARY FOR ABOUT 20-30 MINUTES. WHILE WATCHING THE OBJECT WITH BINOCULARS I NOTICED IT WAS SLOWLY DROPPING ELEVATION. THE OBJECT COULD BE SEEN BETWEEN TWO TALL BUILDINGS AND I ESTIMATED THE DISTANCE TO BE ABOUT ONE MILE. THE ORB HAD NO BLINKING LIGHTS. THERE WERE SEVERAL AIRCRAFT ON THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT FLIGHT PATH AT DIFFERENT DISTANCES THAT I COULD CLEARLY SEE THEIR BEACONS (1 MILE TO 5 MILES FROM MY LOCATION). THERE WAS ALSO A POLICE HELICOPTER THAT I COULD SEE SOUTHWEST OF MY LOCATION AND IT TOO WAS CLEARLY RECOGNIZABLE. THIS OBJECT DROPPED TO A 20 DEGREE ANGLE FROM ME AND WENT OUT (FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM). WITHIN ABOUT ONE SECOND I COULD SEE THE OBJECT STILL WEST OF ME BUT IT WAS DIMMER AND APPEARED TO BE 1/10TH THE ORIGINAL SIZE. IT ALSO APPEARED TO BE FARTHER OUT.