SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego Police Deputy Chief Rudy Tai is wrapping up a more than 35-year career with the department — a career filled with difficult moments, challenging calls and hope for the future.
Tai holds the distinction of being the second-highest ranking officer in the San Diego Police Department and the highest-ranking Asian Pacific Islander in the department's history.
"It's bittersweet. I love this department. I love the city. It's time for me to go too. I'm aware of that. I feel good about leaving around this time," Tai said.
Tai is not quite leaving law enforcement just yet. He will be moving back to his home state of Hawaii and taking on a new role as police chief in Kauai.
His path to law enforcement began early. Growing up in Hawaii, Tai was influenced by his participation in what was called "junior police officers," which was Hawaii's version of school safety patrol.
While Tai had mentors throughout his career, he acknowledged that representation was lacking early on.
"We had a Korean sergeant that committed suicide, and I say us —Asian Pacific Island officers — we didn't have a lot of role models at the time," Tai said.
This experience led to the creation of the Pan Pacific Law Enforcement Association, a support group for Asian Pacific Islander officers. Tai has been involved in the organization since its early days.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, police officers of Asian descent make up just over 3% of all law enforcement — an underrepresentation compared to the overall population.
"Traditionally you don't see a lot of Asian and Pacific Islander officers. It took some time, but when you look at it right now, it's grown significantly," Tai said. "We want kids to see us. We want people to like, I want to be like that individual. I want to be like that woman. I want to be like that policeman."
Tai emphasized the importance of being a role model in his current position.
"I always tell people you'd never know the positive impact or effect you have on people. You gotta go out there and you gotta talk to people, and people are always looking for role models. They're looking for people that they wanna look up to," Tai said.
Throughout his career, Tai has responded to countless calls, from domestic violence situations to high-profile incidents like the 1995 tank pursuit through San Diego streets.
"I remember going to a number of domestic violence calls and having to deal with the family issues; very volatile, very emotional with people, and wanting to help them in different ways," Tai said.
The 1995 tank incident remains memorable for Tai, who was in one of the first patrol cars trailing the stolen military vehicle.
"I heard a robbery detective call on the air and pretty much says, 'Hey, we got a stolen tank, and it's running around Claremont Mesa,'" Tai said.
He remembers the damage the tank caused.
"The tank was destroying property, vehicles, residents, and one thing that struck me is even though we knew what was occurring, officers from every part of the city of San Diego was headed that way to help try to resolve the situation,” Tai recalled.
The incident ended when the man who stole the tank refused to surrender and was eventually shot and killed by police.
Tai has witnessed significant changes in policing throughout his career, from uniform updates to technological advances like body cameras, which he believes have helped the profession.
As he prepares to leave San Diego for his new role in Hawaii, Tai expressed gratitude for his time with the department.
"I really appreciate San Diego. I appreciate this department. It's given me so much. Feel very blessed to be part of it. So thank you, San Diego," Tai said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
