West Cook News

Former U.S. Rep Tom O'Halleran, a retired Chicago homicide detective and graduate of Providence St. Mel High School, remains active in the Arizona community, speaking recently at a Keep Sedona (Ariz.) Beautiful event about “How Congress Does and Doesn’t Work."

Verde News reported that O'Halleran, who served as president of the group from 2010 to 2014, spoke about "how Congress operates" and gave "his perspective on the greatest natural resource issues now and into the future." 

O'Halleran grew up in Chicago and graduated in 1964 from Providence St. Mel High School, located on Chicago's West Side. He attended Lewis University and DePaul University before joining the Chicago Police Department in 1966, according to Vote View. 

He became one of the youngest homicide investigators in Chicago history and went on to earn three department commendations and more than 30 other awards throughout his career, reported Verde News. After leaving the police department in 1979, O'Halleran joined the Chicago Board of Trade. He and his wife then moved to Arizona, where O'Halleran became involved in politics. Representing the Republican Party, he served as a state representative from 2001 to 2007 and as a state senator from 2007 to 2009. 

After switching political parties in 2014, O'Halleran was elected to Congress in 2016 as a Democrat, defeating Republican Paul Babeu. 

In the 2022 November General Election, O'Halleran lost his seat to Republican Eli Crane, who won 54 percent to O'Halleran's 45 percent. 

During the 2022 campaign, O'Halleran highlighted his focus on water issues during an interview with ABC 15 News. 

“I developed the first statewide drought management plan, statewide conservation plan and a statewide water plan back in 2005 when I was in the legislature," he said. "During this current period of time, we've put forward about $12 billion in Western water for augmentation purposes.” 

O'Halleran, 77, resides in Sedona with his wife Pat. They have three children and four grandchildren.