HPD Officer of the Month Honored for Capture of Escaped Big Island Inmates

Officer Noah Serrao has been recognized by the Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawai‘i as Officer of the Month for September 2021.

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021, Hawai´i Community Correctional Center (HCCC) reported two escaped inmates. One of the inmates was previously wanted for bail jumping, resisting an order to stop and other crimes. The second inmate was awaiting trial for robbery and assault.

Moments after Dispatch announced the escaped inmates, Officer Serrao, a two-year veteran of the department assigned to Hilo Patrol, made checks near the downtown area.  

Officer Serrao realized the likelihood of the escapees using the bus to flee and he rushed to the Mooheau bus terminal to find a bus there waiting for passengers.

When he got to the bus, he noticed a young adult male with a shirt covering the lower half of his face and proceeded to ask his name. Upon closer inspection, Officer Serrao noticed the man’s pants had the HCCC logo on them. Officer Serrao identified the man as one of the escapees, and shortly afterward he spotted the other escapee inside the bus.

Determining that the escapee he had contacted first appeared more of a flight risk; Officer Serrao used his set of handcuffs to cuff this escapee. The other escapee that was already on the bus surrendered to the officer while additional officers were en route to assist.

Every month the East Hawai´i Aloha Exchange Club honors a police officer in East Hawai´i as their officer of the month. Officers are nominated by their supervisors from the various police districts and a monthly winner is selected.

All officers selected for Officer of the Month are eligible to be selected as the East Hawai´i Aloha Exchange Club’s Officer of the Year.