Attorney O’Meara, assistant chief Leavitt to be honored at Red Mass
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O’MEARA
Tucson attorney Gerard “Gerry” O’Meara and Assistant Police Chief John Leavitt will be honored by the St. Thomas More Society of Southern Arizona at the annual Red Mass on Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 5:30 p.m. at St. Augustine Cathedral.
The men were selected, the society said, because they exemplify the virtues possessed by St. Thomas More: Integrity, courage, scholarship, commitment to the Church, prayerfulness and wit. The honorees must be known for acting ethically and seeking justice and the truth.
O’Meara was born in Detroit in 1944 and his family moved to Phoenix in early 1945. At one time he was considering becoming a priest in the Franciscan Order. He earned a degree at the University of Notre Dame and attended law school at the University of Arizona.
He and his wife Maryanne have two children, Stephen and Anne, both graduates of Salpointe Catholic High School, and two grandchildren, Daniel and Sean.
Most of O’Meara’s legal career focused on commercial transactions, real estate, estate planning, and banking matters. Since 2004 Gerry has represented the Diocese of Tucson in corporate, personnel, and real estate matters. For 40 years he has assisted his parish, St. Frances Cabrini, and its St. Vincent de Paul Conference with various legal matters. He served the Diocese of Tucson as a Marriage Tribunal Advocate from 1977 through 1985.
Leavitt, a Tucson native, began his career with Tucson Police Department in 1982 as a reserve officer. He was promoted to Assistant Chief in 2003.
He holds a Masters in education from Northern Arizona University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Arizona. He has specialized training at the Senior Management Institute for Police, Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, State and Local Executive Program, and the Southwest Leadership Program at U of A’s Eller College of Management.
LEAVITT
Leavitt has won numerous awards for his service in many units of the police department. He has commanded the Field Services Bureau, Investigative Services Bureau and Administrative Services Bureau.
He is a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, where he serves as a member of the Corporate Board of Directors.