Paul Tanaka: Difference between revisions
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|office = Undersheriff of the [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]] |
|office = [[Undersheriff]] of the [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]] |
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|term_start = June 2011 |
|term_start = June 2011 |
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|term_end = |
|term_end = August 1, 2013 |
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|predecessor = |
|predecessor = Larry L Waldie |
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|successor = |
|successor = |
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|office2 = Assistant Sheriff of the [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]] |
|office2 = Assistant Sheriff of the [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]] |
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|alma_mater = [[Loyola Marymount University]] <small>(B.A. Accounting)</small> |
|alma_mater = [[Loyola Marymount University]] <small>(B.A. Accounting)</small> |
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|spouse = Valerie Tanaka |
|spouse = Valerie Tanaka |
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|website = {{url|www.paultanaka.com}} |
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}} |
}} |
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'''Paul K. Tanaka''' is an [[United States|American]] politician and a law enforcement officer with the [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]]. Tanaka |
'''Paul K. Tanaka''' is an [[United States|American]] politician and a law enforcement officer with the [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]]. Tanaka served as [[Undersheriff]] of [[Los Angeles County]] from 2011 to 2013. He is also mayor of the [[Gardena, California|City of Gardena, California]]. |
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==Elected official== |
==Elected official== |
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On March 7, 1988, Tanaka was involved in a controversial killing of an unarmed [[Korean American]] in [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], sparking outrage among Korean American community leaders.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1988-03-17/local/me-1723_1_korean-community/2|title=Cries of Bias Follow Death of Korean at Hands of Law|last=Arax|first=Mark|date=17 March 1988|work=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=11 September 2012}}</ref> |
On March 7, 1988, Tanaka was involved in a controversial killing of an unarmed [[Korean American]] in [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], sparking outrage among Korean American community leaders.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1988-03-17/local/me-1723_1_korean-community/2|title=Cries of Bias Follow Death of Korean at Hands of Law|last=Arax|first=Mark|date=17 March 1988|work=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=11 September 2012}}</ref> |
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==Los Angeles County Undersheriff (2011-2013)== |
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Tanaka was appointed [[Undersheriff]], the [[second-in-command]] at the [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]] in June 2011 by Sheriff [[Lee Baca]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sheriff.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/lasd/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3hLAwMDd3-nYCN3M19LA0_nEDPvMJMAQ39jA_2CbEdFAFVdgp4!/?current=true&urile=wcm:path:/lasd+content/lasd+site/home/home+top+stories/tanaka_promotion|title=Paul Tanaka Appointed to Undersheriff|date=June 2011|work=Sheriff's Department|publisher=County of Los Angeles|accessdate=13 September 2013}}</ref> During his 2-year term as Undersheriff, the Department was dogged with several controversies. He announced his resignation on March 6, 2013.<ref name=leonard-1>{{cite news|last=Leonard|first=Jack|title= L.A. County sheriff's No. 2 leader to quit |
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|url=http://articles.latimes.com/print/2013/mar/06/local/la-me-tanaka-20130307|accessdate=12 September 2013|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=6 March 2013|author2= Robert Faturechi}}</ref> |
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===Controversies=== |
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On October 18, 2011, at a Board meeting, Supervisors [[Zev Yaroslavsky]] and [[Mark Ridley-Thomas] held a motion to create a Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence with the mandate of reviewing the nature, depth and cause of Sheriff’s deputies’ inappropriate use of excessive force in County jails and to recommend corrective actions.<ref name=motion>{{cite web|title=Motion by Supervisors Yaroslavsky and Ridley-Thomas|url=http://ccjv.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Board-Motion-Amendment-10-18-11_1.pdf|work= Board of Supervisors|publisher=County of Los Angeles|accessdate=12 September 2013|date=18 October 2011 }}</ref> |
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In September 2012, the Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence a issued a final report very critical of the Sheriff Department’s management, including Baca, Tanaka and other executive-level staff, accusing them of fostering a culture in which deputies beat and humiliated, covered up misconduct and formed aggressive deputy cliques in the county jails.<ref name=stoltze>{{cite news|last=Stoltze|first=Frank|title=LA jail violence commission turns attention to undersheriff Paul Tanaka|url=http://www.scpr.org/news/2012/07/26/33466/la-jail-violence-panel-turns-attention-undersherif/|accessdate=12 September 2013|newspaper=KPCC|date=26 July 2012}}</ref><ref name=ccjv>{{cite web|title=Report of the Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence|url=http://ccjv.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/CCJV-Report.pdf|work=Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence|publisher=County of Los Angeles|accessdate=12 September 2013|date=September 2012}}</ref> The report also called for the removal of Tanaka from the chain of command supervising the jail system, for statements that Tanaka had delivered, indicating that deputies could use excessive force against prisoners and that aggressive behavior would not result in discipline.<ref name=ccjv/> The report also noted that Tanaka had accepted campaign contributions from many department employees, furthering perceptions of [[patronage]] and favoritism in promotion and assignment decisions.<ref name=ccjv/> |
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On March 6, 2013, Tanaka announced that he would resign as the Undersheriff, effective August 1, 2013, during an ongoing [[federal]] probe conducted by the [[FBI]] into widespread allegations of abuse, misconduct and mismanagement in County jails.<ref name=pr>{{cite web|title=Press Release – Undersheriff Retires|url=http://sheriff.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/lasd/!ut/p/b1/04_Sj7QwNzM2MzA3M9GP0I_KSyzLTE8syczPS8wB8aPM4i0MIMDI3czTzcDT393TLcDY3MggCKQhEqjAAAdwNCCkP1w_Cq8SJ3OoAjxW-Hnk56bq50blWHrqOioCAPLZWiM!/?1dmy&page=dept.lac.lasd.home.newsroom.detail.hidden&urile=wcm%3Apath%3A/lasd+content/lasd+site/home/home+top+stories/tanaka_retires_ |
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|work=Sheriff’s Department|publisher=County of Los Angeles|accessdate=12 September 2013|date=6 March 2013 }}</ref> |
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Although the his decision to resign was portrayed as being under his volition, Baca told Tanaka to step down because Tanaka had become a political liability.<ref name=faturechi -1>{{cite news|last= Faturechi |first= Robert |title= Baca told aide to retire |
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|url=http://articles.latimes.com/print/2013/mar/25/local/la-me-baca-tanaka-20130325|accessdate=12 September 2013|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=25 March 2013|author2= Jack Leonard}}</ref> |
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==2014 Sheriff's campaign== |
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On August 15, 2013, Tanaka announced his candidacy to unseat his former boss, Lee Baca, as the Sheriff in the 2014 election.<ref name=faturechi-1>{{cite news|last=Faturechi|first=Robert|title=Ousted top aide to challenge Sheriff Lee Baca|url=http://articles.latimes.com/print/2013/aug/14/local/la-me-ln-ousted-top-aide-to-challenge-baca-20130814|accessdate=12 September 2013|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=14 August 2013|author2=Seema Mehta}}</ref><ref name=villacorte>{{cite news|last=Villacorte|first=Christina|title=L.A. Sheriff’s former #2 man, Paul Tanaka, vies for top job|url=http://www.dailynews.com/government-and-politics/20130815/la-sheriffs-former-2-man-paul-tanaka-vies-for-top-job|accessdate=12 September 2013|newspaper=Los Angeles Daily News|date=15 August 2013}}</ref> |
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==Personal life== |
==Personal life== |
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Revision as of 03:18, 13 September 2013
Paul K. Tanaka | |
|---|---|
| Undersheriff of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department | |
| In office June 2011 – August 1, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Larry L Waldie |
| Assistant Sheriff of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department | |
| In office January 7, 2005 – June 2011 Serving with R. Doyle Campbell | |
| Succeeded by | Marvin O. Cavanaugh and Cecil W. Rhambo |
| Mayor Pro Tem of Gardena | |
| In office March 2003 – April 2004 | |
| Mayor of Gardena | |
| Assumed office March 2005 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1959 (age 65) |
| Spouse | Valerie Tanaka |
| Alma mater | Loyola Marymount University (B.A. Accounting) |
| Website | www |
Paul K. Tanaka is an American politician and a law enforcement officer with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Tanaka served as Undersheriff of Los Angeles County from 2011 to 2013. He is also mayor of the City of Gardena, California.
Elected official
Tanaka has been active in local government since his election to the Gardena city council in March 1999. In March 2005, he was elected mayor with 62% of the vote.[1] He was re-elected to a second term in 2009.[1]
Law enforcement
A career law enforcement officer, Tanaka initially joined the El Segundo police department in 1980. Transferring to the LA County Sheriff's Department two years later, he 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.[2] From January 7, 2005 to June 2011, he was the an Assistant Sheriff.[3] He is the first Japanese American in the position.
He has been criticized for his affiliation with the "Vikings", a secret police organization brought to light amidst police misconduct litigation in 1990. Sheriff Lee Baca acknowledged Tanaka still has a tattoo related to the group, which a federal judge described as "neo-Nazi, white supremacist gang."[4][5] Tanaka was tattooed as a member of the Vikings deputy gang in 1987, while serving as a deputy at the Lynwood station.[6]
On March 7, 1988, Tanaka was involved in a controversial killing of an unarmed Korean American in Long Beach, sparking outrage among Korean American community leaders.[7]
Los Angeles County Undersheriff (2011-2013)
Tanaka was appointed Undersheriff, the second-in-command at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in June 2011 by Sheriff Lee Baca.[8] During his 2-year term as Undersheriff, the Department was dogged with several controversies. He announced his resignation on March 6, 2013.[9]
Controversies
On October 18, 2011, at a Board meeting, Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and [[Mark Ridley-Thomas] held a motion to create a Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence with the mandate of reviewing the nature, depth and cause of Sheriff’s deputies’ inappropriate use of excessive force in County jails and to recommend corrective actions.[10]
In September 2012, the Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence a issued a final report very critical of the Sheriff Department’s management, including Baca, Tanaka and other executive-level staff, accusing them of fostering a culture in which deputies beat and humiliated, covered up misconduct and formed aggressive deputy cliques in the county jails.[11][12] The report also called for the removal of Tanaka from the chain of command supervising the jail system, for statements that Tanaka had delivered, indicating that deputies could use excessive force against prisoners and that aggressive behavior would not result in discipline.[12] The report also noted that Tanaka had accepted campaign contributions from many department employees, furthering perceptions of patronage and favoritism in promotion and assignment decisions.[12]
On March 6, 2013, Tanaka announced that he would resign as the Undersheriff, effective August 1, 2013, during an ongoing federal probe conducted by the FBI into widespread allegations of abuse, misconduct and mismanagement in County jails.[3] Although the his decision to resign was portrayed as being under his volition, Baca told Tanaka to step down because Tanaka had become a political liability.[13]
2014 Sheriff's campaign
On August 15, 2013, Tanaka announced his candidacy to unseat his former boss, Lee Baca, as the Sheriff in the 2014 election.[14][15]
Personal life
Tanaka was born at the Queen of Angels Hospital in Los Angeles.[16] At the age of 7, he and his family moved to Gardena, where he has lived for 47 years.[16]
Tanaka attended local schools and received an accounting degree from Loyola Marymount University and is also a Certified Public Accountant.[17] He serves as Chief Financial Officer for the Go For Broke Foundation and the East West Players, and serves on the board of the Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law.
Tanaka is married to Valerie Tanaka, with whom he has 2 children.[17]
References
- ^ a b "Mayor Tanaka". Elected Officials. City of Gardena. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
- ^ "County Facing Cuts to Budget; After forecasting a shortfall of $205 million in the general fund, the top official today will introduce a plan for a leaner 2003-04", Los Angeles Times, April 14, 2003
- ^ a b "PAUL K. TANAKA PROMOTED TO ASSISTANT SHERIFF". Press Releases. Los Angeles County Sheriff. 7 January 2005. Retrieved 11 September 2012. Cite error: The named reference "pr" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ "Secret clique in L.A. County sheriff's gang unit probed". Los Angeles Times. 2012-04-20. Retrieved 2012-04-20.
- ^ Faturechi, Robert (9 May 2012). "Tattoo in sheriff's deputy clique may have celebrated shootings, sources say". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
- ^ O'Connor, Anne-Marie (24 March 1999). "The Secret Society Among Lawmen". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Arax, Mark (17 March 1988). "Cries of Bias Follow Death of Korean at Hands of Law". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
- ^ "Paul Tanaka Appointed to Undersheriff". Sheriff's Department. County of Los Angeles. June 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
- ^ Leonard, Jack; Robert Faturechi (6 March 2013). "L.A. County sheriff's No. 2 leader to quit". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ^ "Motion by Supervisors Yaroslavsky and Ridley-Thomas" (PDF). Board of Supervisors. County of Los Angeles. 18 October 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ^ Stoltze, Frank (26 July 2012). "LA jail violence commission turns attention to undersheriff Paul Tanaka". KPCC. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ^ a b c "Report of the Citizens' Commission on Jail Violence" (PDF). Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence. County of Los Angeles. September 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ^ Faturechi, Robert; Jack Leonard (25 March 2013). "Baca told aide to retire". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ^ Faturechi, Robert; Seema Mehta (14 August 2013). "Ousted top aide to challenge Sheriff Lee Baca". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ^ Villacorte, Christina (15 August 2013). "L.A. Sheriff's former #2 man, Paul Tanaka, vies for top job". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ^ a b Simmonds, Yussuf (5 March 2009). "Mayor of Gardena Wins a Second Term". Los Angeles Sentinel. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
- ^ a b "PAUL TANAKA, UNDERSHERIFF". LASD Executive Photos & Bios:. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)