Tony Saavedra is an investigative reporter specializing in city and county government. He was the lead reporter in the creation of the first-ever Orange County Police Report Card in 2005.

The investigation revealed that people in cities patrolled by the sheriff's department waited longer for help and had less police officers than other cities. Saavedra co-wrote stories in 2004 that revealed how a Huntington Beach councilwoman secretly used a straw buyer to get in on a scam involving condo conversions.

The councilwoman resigned and was later convicted. Saavedra also exposed abuse at a chain of group homes for the developmentally disabled that led to the closure of a half dozen facilities. His investigation into state parolee work programs found that dangerous ex-offenders had been given jobs as child-care workers, scout leaders and security guards.

His work has been honored by the California Newspaper Publishers' Association, Associated Press Sports Editors, the Center for California Studies and the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. Saavedra graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a BA in journalism. He can be reached at (657) 796-6930 or tsaavedra@ocregister.com