Commander Tom was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and is proud that five generations of his family have lived in Los Angeles starting in 1875. A product of the Los Angeles Unified School District, he attended Third Street Elementary, Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies, and University High School. In 1991, Commander Tom graduated from the University of Southern California where he earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. Commander Tom was actively involved in Alpha Kappa Psi and is a member of the USC Alumni Association.
Commander Tom was promoted to Commander in October of 2022 and proudly serves as the Assistant Commanding Officer of Operations-West Bureau (OWB). In this capacity, Commander Tom helps to oversee the OWB Homicide Unit, OWB Sexual Assault Section, OWB Gun Violence Reduction Task Force, OWB Inspection Team and Hollywood, Wilshire, West Los Angeles, Pacific and Olympic Areas. Operations-West Bureau provides service to a diverse residential population of over 930,000 residents within its 121 square miles.
Commander Tom has worked assignments in all four geographic bureaus giving him varied experience with the different communities that the Department serves. His former assignments include: Commanding Officer of West Los Angeles Area, Critical Incident Review Division (CIRD), South Traffic Division, Rampart Patrol Division and Olympic Detective Division; Patrol Watch Commander at Olympic Division, Officer in Charge of the Evaluation and Administration Unit in the Office of Operations, Officer in Charge of the Southwest Area Vice Unit, Investigator at Professional Standards Bureau, Patrol Supervisor at Newton and Wilshire Divisions, Auditor at Criminal Intelligence Group, Field Investigator at Detective Headquarters Division – Gun Unit, Firearms Instructor at Training Division, Patrol/Special Problems Unit Officer in West Valley and as a Patrol Officer in West Los Angeles and Southwest Divisions.
Commander Tom has had an opportunity to work in different leadership positions during several special/significant events, including the move of the Space Shuttle Endeavour to the California Science Center, the Academy Awards, the BET Experience and Awards, Cic-La-Via Bicycle Ride, Armenian Remembrance March, and May Day Demonstrations.
Commander Tom is a member of the Department’s Peer Support cadre, President of the Law Enforcement Association of Asian Pacifics (LEAAP), member of the Los Angeles Women Police Officers and Associates (LAWPOA), La Ley, Oscar Joel Bryant (OJB) Foundation and a former delegate for the Los Angeles Police Protective League.