Paul Tanaka

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Paul K. Tanaka. Mayor, City of Gardena. Assistant Sheriff, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

A 26 year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Tanaka has recently been promoted to Assistant Sheriff of Los Angeles County under Sheriff Lee Baca in January 2005 and elected Mayor of the City of Gardena, CA in March 2005.

As one of two Assistant Sheriffs and the first Japanese American in the position, Tanaka directly oversees the department's Administrative Services, Correctional Services, Custody Operations, Court Services and Technical Services divisions. Tanaka is also a long time Gardena resident who has been active in local government since his election to the city council in March 1999.

An adept multitasker, he juggles his many tasks well, respected in his community having gained more votes than any other council candidate during his reelection campaign in 2003 and elected mayor with a 62% of the vote. He has been responsible for bringing the City of Gardena from a $5.2 million deficit to more than a $2 million surplus in his 4 years as Chair of the City’s Finance Committee while simultaneously serving as a Chief in the LA County Sheriff's Department directing the Administrative Services Division, where he managed more than 900 employees and a department budget of $1.7 billion.

A career law enforcement officer, Tanka initially joined the El Segundo police department in 1980. Transferring to the LA County Sheriff's Department two years later, he quickly rose through the ranks, earning his stripes in 1987, and making Lieutenant in 1991. Tanaka then rose from Lieutenant to Captain in 1999, Commander in 2001 and Chief in 2002. While critics point to his alleged affiliation with the "Vikings", a secret police organization brought to light amidst police misconduct litigation in 1990, it cannot be disputed that he has shown proven results and is well respected among his colleagues.

Raised in Gardena where he has lived for 37 years, Tanaka attended local schools and received an accounting degree from Loyola Marymount University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant and serves as Chief Financial Officer for the Go For Broke Foundation, the East West Players and serves on the board of the Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law.