Tyrone Garner (politician) facts for kids

Tyrone A. Garner is an American politician and a retired police officer. He is currently serving as the 30th mayor of Kansas City, Kansas. He has held this important role since 2021. Before becoming mayor, he was a deputy chief in the Kansas City Police Department.

Early Life and Career

Tyrone Garner was born in Portland, Maine, in 1969. He spent some of his childhood in San Jose, California. Later, his family moved to Kansas City, Kansas (KCK) when he was starting high school. He graduated from Wyandotte High School in 1987. After high school, he joined the United States Army.

After serving in the Army, Mr. Garner became a police officer with the KCK Police Department. He worked there for more than 30 years. During his time, he rose through the ranks. He became a captain, then a major, and finally a deputy chief. He was the first African American KCK police officer to graduate from the special FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. He was also the first African American male commander to lead the western part of Kansas City, Kansas.

He retired from the police force in 2019. After that, he briefly served on the Kansas City Kansas Community College Board of Trustees. Mr. Garner also worked as a Kansas African American Affairs Commissioner. He helped appoint the first African-American female chief of staff and county administrator in Wyandotte County.

Becoming Mayor

On November 2, 2021, Tyrone Garner won the election to become mayor. He defeated the previous mayor, David Alvey, in a close race. This made him the first African-American mayor/CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. He officially started his term on December 13, 2021.

Being Mayor of Kansas City, Kansas

As mayor, Tyrone Garner has made important decisions for the city. On January 10, 2022, he hired Cheryl Harrison-Lee. She became Wyandotte County's first Black female interim county administrator. A few months later, in April 2022, some commissioners had questions about her work. They noted she was also working as a consultant for Kansas City, Missouri.

Commissioners asked Mayor Garner to start a search for a permanent county administrator. They were concerned about a possible conflict of interest.

In January 2024, Mayor Garner announced he would temporarily step aside. This was for a medical procedure. Tom Burroughs, a commissioner, served as Mayor Pro Tempore during this time. Mayor Garner returned to his duties on May 2, 2024. In November 2024, Mayor Garner's office stated that he would not seek re-election. His current term as mayor ends in December 2025.

Awards and Recognitions

Tyrone Garner has received several awards for his service and leadership:

• 2016 KCKPS Reasons to Believe Award Recipient
• 2018 Black Achievers Award from the SCLC of Greater Kansas City
• KC Globe Most Influential Kansas Citians of 2015 Award
• Eugene K. Patterson Community Service Award from The Tuskegee Airmen
• Rosalyn Brown and Betty Taliaferro Service Award from Friends of Yates, Inc.

See also

• List of first African-American mayors