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Today, at the Mission Memorial Auditorium, Police Chief Joe Logan and the Honolulu Police Department recognized officers at the Chief’s Award Ceremony, honoring outstanding achievements from Fall 2024. Every day, officers and civilians go above and beyond expectations.
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The Fall 2024 Chief’s Officer Award was presented to Corporal Robert Chang of the Criminal Investigation Division. Corporal Chang is a certified forensic video technician and the acting supervisor for the Crime Analysis Unit (CAU) in the Criminal Investigation Division. In addition to monitoring crime trends and statistics, Corporal Chang oversees the recovery and processing of video and digital evidence for investigative units throughout the department. Corporal Chang, who is a godan (fifth-degree black belt), spearheaded the re-establishment of the Police Activities League’s (PAL) Judo Program. In the fourth quarter of 2024, he volunteered nearly 150 hours as an instructor and program coordinator for the PAL judo club that now has more than 50 youths from across Oahu.
The Fall 2024 Chief’s Section Award was presented to the District 6 All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Detail. From July to December 2024, the District 6 All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Detail made a concerted effort to address park and beach concerns in the Waikiki area. The unit’s four members, Officers Sean Jung, Young Kim, Derek Ota and Torsten Vaivai-Soderberg generated 499 police reports and made 122 arrests during this period. They also issued 1,890 criminal citations, 498 parking citations, and 329 moving citations. These statistics reflect a nearly 250% increase in parking citations, 66% increase in criminal citations, and more than 40% increases in police reports, arrests, and moving citations. The ATV Detail, assisted by the Aloha Ambassadors, helped to reduce the number of homeless individuals in Kapiolani Park by 50% and in Waikiki’s main corridor by 24%.
Certificate of Merit was presented to Officer Milo Kalama. On April 18, 2023, Officer Milo Kalama was contacted by the Narcotics/Vice Division and asked to remotely analyze a crime scene photograph taken at a suspected clandestine drug manufacturing laboratory. Officer Kalama was unable to draw conclusive findings based on the photograph and went to the scene to provide technical guidance for bomb technicians from the Specialized Services Division (SSD). Upon arrival, Officer Kalama donned chemical protective gear and entered the lab alongside SSD personnel to conduct a detailed sweep and analysis of the scene. During this process, he identified critical indicators of improvised explosives production, including chemical explosive precursors and signs of lithium electrolysis. His expertise also led to the identification of a “Molotov cocktail” that had been rigged with a motion sensor-activated initiator.
Certificate of Merit was presented to Officer Samuel Prince. On the afternoon of April 14, 2024, Officer Prince and five other officers were sent to an Ala Wai Boulevard apartment where a distraught male was standing on the balcony ledge and threatening to commit suicide. Officer Prince and a second officer were the first to arrive and could hear loud screaming and a female crying inside the unit. After identifying themselves, the two officers attempted to break down the door but were unsuccessful. Officer Prince continued trying to open the door while the second officer entered the neighboring apartment and began talking to the distraught male. After gaining access to the male’s apartment, Officer Prince immediately attempted to pull the male to safety without regard for his own personal safety. The male struggled with Officer Prince, endangering both men. Despite the male’s resistance and the possibility of being pulled off the balcony, Officer Prince was able to hold onto him until additional officers arrived and pulled both men to safety.