George E. Gard
George E. Card is the only person to have served as both police chief in Los
Angeles, Ca. and Sheriff of Los Angeles County.
He was the 16th Sheriff of Los Angeles County from 1884 - 1886.
Gard was born in Warren County, Ohio, in 1843. He lived with his grandfather
after his parents died and at age 16 traveled to California with uncle.
He remained with his uncle for about a year and then moved on to engage in
mining and was soon afterward the superintendent of Lovejoy & Gard's saw-mills,
and later assistant superintendent of the Mariposa Mining Company's Mills.
Gard entered military service in 1864 as a First Sergeant of Company H, Seventh
California Volunteer Infantry, and was with that command in Arizona and New
Mexico until March, 1866, at which time his company was mustered out of county.
After leaving the service, Gard settled in Wilmington for two years, then moved to
Los Angeles, where he established the Los Angeles Ice Company. In 1869 he
married Kate A. Hammel. In 1871 Gard was appointed deputy county clerk for
one year, then joined the Los Angeles Police Department as a detective for three
years. In 1874 he became deputy county recorder and from 1875 to 1879 was chief
recorder of the county.
In 1880 he was appointed chief of police of the city by the City Council.
Gard became a deputy sheriff, and in 1884 he was elected on the Republican ticket
as sheriff of the county. His term ended in 1886.