PTA Officials Have High Praise for Base Police Officer

Officials at the US Army’s Pohakuloa Training Area have high praise for an employee wearing a different type of uniform.

Police Officer Brian Mabry has been named PTA’s employee of the quarter.

Mabry is a member of the army base’s police force who also wears many hats, PTA officials said.

“Brian has been instrumental in a number of initiatives involving our police department,” PTA’s commander, Lt. Col. Eric Shwedo, said in a statement.

“He has been involved in everything from the design of a more efficient police building to lead enforcement officer for hunting weekends; his attention to detail and foresight makes him invaluable.”

The latter activity has become considerably busier as PTA has expanded its offerings of land available to the public for hunting. Since last fall, hunting has been allowed nearly every weekend on up to 30,000 acres of the base at a time.

Indeed, Mabry’s willingness to go above and beyond was part of what earned him the accolades.

That includes a strategic plan he put together for what PTA described as a “much-needed” new police station at the base. The plan was greatly appreciated by the engineer committee planning PTA improvements.

He has also begun conducting traffic surveys of the entire base camp and surrounding areas for the development of a “more progressive, free-flowing and safety-conscious vehicular and pedestrian traffic system,” Shwedo said.

Mabry’s responsibilities include both traffic enforcement and accident investigations on base property. Saddle Road is not included.

Members of PTA’s police force – like the base’s fire department – are civilian employees of the Army.

When needed, PTA’s police officers also augment the role of the US Army’s military police, more commonly referred to as MPs, said Kayla Overton, who works in community relations for the Public Affairs Office of US Army Garrison-Hawaii.

Mabry’s award nomination noted that he consistently performs all assignments with “exemplary proficiency, accuracy and operational readiness to respond at all times,” PTA officials said.

“Brian is my trusted ‘go to’ individual for other officers seeking professional guidance and direction for all traffic enforcement and safety policies,” said Sgt. Paul K. Imaizumi, PTA police operations officer and Mabry’s supervisor.

“He’s helped set and maintain the highest standards of personal and professional integrity in the conduct of his duties, both on and off the installation.”