HONOLULU (KHON2) — Three of Hawaiʻi’s four county police departments may soon lack permanent chiefs, which is raising concerns about leadership stability.
Honolulu’s mayor has someone in mind for HPD but the process has yet to play out.
Honolulu, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi County all face vacancies for permanent police chiefs.
Honolulu’s Joe Logan announced on Monday that he will retire at the end of June,
Kauai’s Todd Raybuck will step aside on June 12 and the Big Island will also need a new permanent leader if Hawaiʻi’s Ben Moszkowicz becomes Honolulu’s interim chief.
“All of the commissions, when they’re looking for a chief, that they not only take input from the community, but they take input from the rank and file officers on the beat, that are answering, the 911 calls for service,” said SHOPO president Robert Cavaco.
Mayor Blangiardi recommended Moszkowicz for Honolulu’s interim role and hopes the commission moves faster than last time.
“After Chief Ballard retired, you know, it took police commission in Honolulu over a year to select Chief Logan,” Cavaco said.
A Honolulu Police Commission member said the quick suggestion from Blangiardi was surprising and added that filling interim and permanent replacement positions will not be his call.
“The police commission is in charge of hiring and firing the chief. That’s pretty much the main thing that we are chartered to do,” said Ann Botticelli. “I appreciate the mayor’s recommendation. He’s made it. But does that give Chief Moszkowitz, a leg up over other candidates, per se? I don’t think so.”
Botticelli added that Moszkowicz still needs to apply for the job like any other candidate and the City needs to select a contractor to help narrow down applicants.
“And so I think at this point, what the mayor can do to help us expedite that, is to make sure that the city HR department moves our request for support from an outside agency along pretty quickly,” she said.
SHOPO’s president said he is hopeful that the search for a permanent replacement for Chief Logan will not take longer than five months and said he will be in touch with the three county police commissions as the search for each department continues.