East Hawai’i ‘Officer of the Month’ Honored

Officer Ryan Pagan (left photo) and Officer Daniel Tam (right photo) were each honored on Dec. 17 as East Hawai’i “Officer of the Month.” HPD photos.

Two Hawai’i Police Department officers were recognized on Thursday, each as an East Hawai’i “Officer of the Month” for the last two months of the year.

The Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawai’i named Hilo Patrol Office Ryan Pagan and Puna Patrol Officer Daniel Tam to the honor for November and December, respectively.

Officer Pagan was given the honor for his rescue of an elderly woman after she and her husband were reported missing.

The woman, who had fallen days prior, was unable to get up and had no food or water throughout the duration of her fall. Her husband was also located but was no longer alive.

“It is Officer Pagan’s perseverance that made the difference which saved a life that day,” wrote Lieutenant Alan Kimura in nomination papers. “He is not a person who looks for recognition or talks about his accomplishments, however, his actions deserve to be acknowledged.”

Officer Tam was honored for what his sergeant called his “extremely proactive approach” to law enforcement.

Sergeant Chris Correa cited five cases that Officer Tam was involved with that illustrated his proactive approach to policing. The cases ranged from an arrest for burglary and theft of a motor vehicle to a traffic stop that led to drug charges and a $20,000 warrant, a traffic stop that led to two men being arrested on warrants, and the arrest of an escaped juvenile.

Officer Tam’s initiative, work ethic, and dedication to duty were described by Sergeant Correa as “admirable.” In addition, he noted that Officer Tam has not taken a day of sick leave since he began his employment two years ago.

“Officer Daniel Tam has clearly demonstrated his genuine concern for the safety and well-being of our citizens and our island community,” Correa wrote in nomination papers.

Both Officer Pagan and Officer Tam are now eligible for “Officer of the Year.”

The Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawaiʻi awards the East Hawaiʻi “Officer of the Month” as a club project.