The State of Hawai‘i Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO) unanimously endorsed Colleen Hanabusa as governor of Hawai‘i. Courtesy photo.

In the first endorsement of any 2018 Hawai‘i gubernatorial candidate by a public-sector union, the State of Hawai‘i Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO) unanimously endorsed Colleen Hanabusa as governor of Hawai‘i.

The announcement, made Monday, April 2, 2018, at the SHOPO Honolulu Chapter Main Office Hall, recognized Hanabusa’s strong stance on law enforcement and understanding of labor law.

Hanabusa has served as the U.S. Representative for Hawai‘i’s 1st congressional district since 2016.

“We feel Colleen will bring strength, trust and confidence back to the governor’s office,” said SHOPO President Malcolm F. Lutu. “Colleen is a clear, tough-minded ally in enforcing the law and working cooperatively to preserve peace and a safe environment for the people of Hawai‘i, and she has proven her willingness to stand up for law enforcement in support of our mission to serve with integrity and professionalism.

“A key factor in SHOPO’s unanimous endorsement was Colleen’s deep understanding of labor law, including the case of Janus vs. AFSCME, currently before the Supreme Court,” Lutu continued. “The case could significantly change the workplace for public employees across the nation by restricting the freedom of working people to join together within strong unions. It is important that our state leaders understand and have the capacity to work proactively to protect collective bargaining rights in government for all employees who benefit from union representation.”

In addition, the following statement by all four SHOPO county chapter chairs was issued in conjunction with the announcement:

“The island chapters of SHOPO stand united in supporting Colleen Hanabusa in her bid for governor and believe she has the leadership qualities that will bring the state together in our shared mission to make our island communities safe for everyone,” said Honolulu Chapter Chairman Robert Cavaco, Hawai‘i Chapter Chairman Todd Pataray, Maui Chapter Chairman Mark Vickers, and Kaua‘i Chapter Chairman Christopher Calio.

“I have the utmost respect for our law enforcement and throughout the years have had the privilege of working with officers across the state in support of their important mission to serve and protect with aloha,” Hanabusa said. “It is a great honor and I’m humbled to receive SHOPO’s unanimous endorsement.”

Established in 1971, SHOPO represents county police officers throughout the State of Hawai‘i. SHOPO is composed of four autonomous chapters representing Honolulu, Hawai‘i, Maui and Kaua‘i, each with its own board of directors elected by the membership of the respective chapters. Today’s endorsement represents a unanimous endorsement by all four chapters. For more information about SHOPO, visit www.shopohawaii.org.

For more information on the Hanabusa for Governor campaign, go online.