Hawaii County Police Commission to discuss search for next chief

With a mid-April deadline in sight, the Hawaii County Police Commission is ramping up efforts to select the island’s next police chief — and fast.

The commission will meet 9 a.m. Friday in the Council Chambers of the County Building in Hilo to finalize key parts of the hiring process, including written questions for qualified applicants. The application deadline is Oct. 31.

The commission at its Sept. 19 meeting expressed interest in speeding up the process, noting that other counties also are conducting police chief searches. Members cited the previous hiring cycle — which lasted about four months — as a model that could be streamlined further. In that cycle, recruitment opened on Aug. 1 and closed on Aug. 28, with a chief appointed by Dec. 16.

Commissioners said filling the role quickly is important not only for departmental stability but also to remain competitive in attracting qualified applicants, according to the commission’s meeting minutes.

Discussion also will cover whether to limit recruitment to candidates residing in Hawaii, following public testimony that favored a local hire and opposed diverting local resources toward federal immigration enforcement.

The commission is expected to take a formal vote on the matter, which would help determine whether to amend the job posting.

Testifiers at previous meetings also emphasized the importance of transparency, strong leadership and community engagement in the selection process. Suggestions included creating a standing interaction group to maintain regular communication between the police department and community members about evolving issues such as immigration and drug enforcement, according to the meeting minutes.

The commission on Friday also is expected to review the overall application and interview process, with the goal of providing permanent leadership for the department as soon as possible.

The search is necessitated by the commission’s acceptance of an emailed resignation in July by Chief Ben Moszkowicz, which he unsuccessfully tried to withdraw. Deputy Chief Reed Mahuna is the interim chief as the search continues.