Candidate for
Sheriff/Coroner; County of Monterey

Sheriff Mike Kanalakis possesses extensive experience in law enforcement and is committed to protecting and serving the people of Monterey County. Sheriff Kanalakis, a life-long resident of Monterey County, has served as a highly decorated Deputy Sheriff for over 36 years.

After graduating from Monterey High School, Monterey Peninsula College, and San Jose State University, Sheriff Kanalakis was commissioned an Officer in the United States Air Force. His tours included several critical assignments, including Strategic Air Command (SAC) and Tactical Air Command (TAC). In 1976, then Air Force Captain Mike Kanalakis was honorably discharged and hired by the Monterey County Sheriff's Office, beginning his long tenure in law enforcement.

Continuing to improve himself, while a Patrol Deputy for the Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Kanalakis pursued graduate studies earning a Masters in Public Administration from Golden Gate University. Sheriff Kanalakis began teaching various criminal justice courses at Carmel High School and Monterey Peninsula College throughout the 1980's and 90's, earning a lifetime community college teaching credential. He is also a graduate of the FBI Academy LEEDS (Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar.)

While serving in the Sheriff's Office and through working with other law enforcement agencies, Sheriff Kanalakis gained an extensive understanding of the issues faced by Monterey County. In 2000, he was personally selected by the former Monterey County Sheriff to serve as the interim Chief of Police and coordinate law enforcement for the City of Greenfield. For six months, as the acting Police Chief, Sheriff Kanalakis made significant gains in reestablishing the police department's community policing efforts and in automating the police records function. Sheriff Kanalakis also worked to unify numerous cities in the south county to combat serious gang problems by establishing and leading a south county gang task force. For his contributions, while serving as Sheriff's Commander, he was honored as "Outstanding Sheriff's Department Employee of the Year."

Sheriff Kanalakis' former assignments have included the Patrol Division as a Supervisory Sergeant, Special Operations as a Commander, and the Coroner's Division as a Commander.

As a Commander, Sheriff Kanalakis was also appointed to lead many strategic teams in his career, including: SWAT, the Gang Unit, the K-9 Unit, the Special Enforcement Unit, the Marijuana Eradication Unit, the Auto-theft Unit, Special Events, Permits, the Bomb Squad project, and the Armored Car project. Sheriff Kanalakis also served as Chairman of the Monterey County Child Death Review Team, a committee composed of multiple agencies overseeing the nature of all deaths involving children.

As a Commander, Sheriff Kanalakis represented the Monterey County Sheriff's Office as the Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Coordinator on the County Operational Area Coordinating Council, a committee of emergency planners from agencies throughout Monterey County. Sheriff Kanalakis was also selected by the Governor's Office of Emergency Services to serve with other senior law enforcement officers for planning responses to state wide emergencies.

As Sheriff, Mike Kanalakis also serves as a member of the Anti-Terrorism Approval Body (Approval Authority), which approves the distribution of Homeland Security Funds to various law and public safety agencies (law, fire, emergency medical services) throughout Monterey County.

Sheriff Kanalakis serves on the Supplemental Law Enforcement Oversight Committee, which administers various state law enforcement related grants throughout Monterey County. Sheriff Kanalakis is also a member of the Monterey County Chiefs Law Enforcement Officers' Association, whose membership is comprised of chiefs of police from cities and the federal government, state prison wardens, and high-ranking officers of the California Highway Patrol. Sheriff Kanalakis is a member of the National Latino Peace Officers' Association (Monterey County Chapter) and is actively involved with the California State Sheriffs' Association, serving as Budget Chairman.

In November of 2002 and again in June of 2006, an overwhelming majority elected Mike Kanalakis to serve as Sheriff of Monterey County. Sheriff Kanalakis took office in January, 2003. In his tenure as Sheriff, Sheriff Kanalakis has worked diligently to ensure that his message of integrity and professionalism is heard throughout the Sheriff's Office. The Herald wrote "...Mike Kanalakis has wasted no time making good on his pledge to raise the performance bar (October 6, 2003)..." . In 2003 Sheriff Kanalakis was inducted into the "Law Enforcement Hall of Fame."

Today, the Sheriff's message continues:

"My experience is built on a lifetime of public service: I have the formal education, professional training and experience to lead a major department with a 77 million dollar budget with 424 sworn and unsworn personnel. I have worked my way up through the ranks (Deputy, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Commander, and Sheriff) and offer trusted professional experienced leadership with a steady hand at the helm.

I spearheaded securing a countywide Gang Task Force, a new Bomb Squad, Agricultural Task Force, finger print and iris identification systems in the jail, online services, and delivered a balanced budget every year. As Sheriff, I'll stay close to the community. My vision is to eradicate gangs and gang violence, eliminate illicit drugs from our neighborhoods and schools, prevent school violence, better prepare our communities to deal with disasters and terrorist acts, and ensure better service to enhance the quality of life for everyone. I will continue the ten year plan I started..I am endorsed as the most qualified and trusted candidate by all three former Sheriffs, Sheriffs Gordon Sonne, Norm Hicks, and Bud Cook. I offer experience, honesty, integrity, stability, superior leadership and a plan for success."

Sheriff Kanalakis brings a tremendous amount of experience and dedication to Monterey County. He is committed to creating a Sheriff's Office based on equity, fairness, and justice, and believes only in positive meaningful changes that will help the community. Sheriff Kanalakis is a very proud husband of 40 years, a father of two, and a grandfather of four.