Following 31 plus years as a police officer with the City of Hawthorne, I have made the decision to retire this coming December (2025). It seems natural to feel a bit nostalgic, and look back upon the events that have occurred over the course of a three decade career. I’m grateful that the vast majority of those memories are good.
I was given the opportunity to serve as Interim Chief of Police beginning in January of 2023, upon the retirement of the previous chief, Michael Ishii. Upon formal appointment by the City Manager, Mr. Vontray Norris, to the position of chief in March of 2023, I was fortunate to find myself immediately surrounded by high quality people, both within the Police Department, and from City Hall.
For three years, we focused on increasing the professionalism of the Hawthorne Police Department, especially with how we collaborated with our fellow City Departments. I think that this concerted team effort has served the City well, with improvements in service levels, lines of communication, homelessness efforts, and public safety in general.
We have leaned heavily into technology, standing up a Real Time Crime Center, and a Drone as a First Responder program. These efforts have raised our ability to respond intelligently to calls for service, made our community members and staff safer, and increased the efficiency of many criminal investigations that might have gone unresolved in the past. These programs all required an initial (and continuing) investment, and I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the support of the community, and our elected officials, for these endeavors.
I will always remain in awe of the grit and determination of your City’s police officers and professional staff, who continuously strive to make improvements in the daily lives of those who they come into contact with. Our people always have been, and always will be the key to our success. I am confident that this success will not only continue, but increase in the future. I optimistically look forward to how the Hawthorne Police Department, and the City of Hawthorne, grows and progresses in the upcoming years.
In mid-December, Captain Eric Lane will become the Interim Chief of Police for the City of Hawthorne.
Thank you to the City of Hawthorne for giving me the opportunity to be a part of it for the past 31 plus years.
Biography
Chief Gary Tomatani was appointed to the position in December 2022, succeeding Chief Michael Ishii, who served as the Police Chief from 2018 until 2022. Chief Tomatani took over a department with 160 employees that prided itself on identifying and implementing innovative ideas to improve public safety services in the City and throughout the region.
Chief Tomatani was hired by the Hawthorne Police Department in 1994. He worked various assignments throughout his career, including Patrol, Special Enforcement Team, School Resource Officer, Crime Free Multi-Housing, Traffic Bureau Commander, Patrol Watch Commander, Detective Bureau Commander, and Administration. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2002, Lieutenant in 2007, and Captain in 2019. As a captain, he oversaw the Administrative Services Division.
Born in Los Angeles, Chief Tomatani grew up in nearby Torrance. He resided in Los Angeles. He earned a BA from UC Irvine (Social Ecology) and a MA from CSUDH (Conflict Management). He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the California Police Chiefs Association, and the National Association of Asian American Law Enforcement Commanders.