About Tom
Why I'm Running
I am a Hayward businessman, public-safety professional, investigative journalist, and candidate for Mayor.
I have approximately 30 years of experience in private security and five years in public safety. As a small-business owner, I understand what it takes to make payroll, manage rising costs, create jobs, and be accountable for difficult financial decisions. My experience has shaped my belief that City Hall should be held to the same standards of responsibility and accountability.
I earned a degree in Administration of Justice from Skyline College and have continued my education in business, aviation, public safety, and law. I am currently a student in the University of London Master of Laws (LLM) programme, studying international business law.
As an investigative journalist and publisher, I have focused on local government, public spending, development, public safety, and accountability. That work has strengthened my belief that residents deserve transparency and a meaningful voice in the decisions affecting their community.
I am running for Mayor because I believe Hayward needs a different direction. My top priority is stopping further data-center expansion in Hayward. I will also pursue every lawful option available to the City to reduce, restrict, or ultimately eliminate existing data-center operations where legally possible.
Hayward’s land, electricity, water, and infrastructure are valuable resources. I believe those resources should support development that creates good local jobs, strengthens our economy, and provides meaningful benefits to the people who live here.
I believe Hayward should be a city where businesses invest in people, not simply a place to warehouse servers and consume enormous amounts of infrastructure.
My approach is simple: Hayward First. I will bring my experience in business, public safety, journalism, and education to City Hall and fight for decisions that put the people of Hayward first.
Biography
Tom Wong was born and raised right here in California. He spent three decades in private security and public safety before founding SWAT Academy Inc., a training facility serving private clients across the region.
Today, as CEO of The Town Hall News, Tom leads a trusted platform delivering honest, reliable reporting to the people of Alameda County. He believes residents deserve the truth and he works every day to hold those in power accountable and demand transparency, so voters have what they need to make informed decisions. Government serves the people. It does not rule over them. That belief drives everything Tom does.
His faith in Christ keeps him grounded and focused on what matters most: serving the community he calls home. With a career built on security, law enforcement, aviation, and civic leadership, Tom brings a steady, service-first approach to everything he takes on — including the job of fighting for honest news and honest government in Alameda County.
Background
Tom Wong has spent a lifetime in service to his community, his clients, and his country.
In 2012, he founded Red Dragon Private Security, providing armed and unarmed uniformed security, vehicle patrol, and surveillance services throughout the Bay Area. In 2020, he launched the Special Weapons and Tactics Academy Inc., training private clients in firearm proficiency using modern tactics and simulation-based instruction.
Tom didn’t stop at business. He stepped up as a civic leader, too — currently serving as the elected AD-20 Chairman of the Alameda County Republican Party, a role built on representing his community and demanding accountability from those in power.
In April 2025, Tom took that same fight further and launched thetownhall.news — bringing his background in security, law enforcement, and civic leadership together to give Alameda County residents the transparent, reliable reporting they deserve.
Education
Tom's commitment to learning has run alongside his commitment to service.
He started with an Associate of Arts in Administration of Justice from Skyline College, then completed Peace Officer Standard Training at the College of San Mateo. He went on to study Aviation/Airway Management and Operations at Utah Valley University, and Commercial Aviation and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) at the University of North Dakota.
In 2026, Tom earned a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Newlane University. That same year, he began pursuing a Master of Laws (LLM) at the University of London — one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the UK — continuing to sharpen the skills he brings to public service.
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