Former West Hawai‘i police officer honored for solving Kona thefts

A former West Hawai‘i police officer recently received honors for his diligent efforts in solving two thefts in Kona.

Conrad Iranon was named Officer of the Month for September by the Kona Crime Prevention Committee during an awards ceremony Oct. 12. His sister, Michelle Keawe, accepted the award on his behalf.

This is the fifth time Iranon, who was a six-year veteran of the Hawai‘i Police Department before relocating to the mainland and transferring to another department, has been honored as Officer of the Month and the second time this year. He was also named Officer of the Month for February.

On Feb. 9, Iranon responded to a reported burglary at a preschool on Ali‘i Drive in Kailua-Kona. While investigating, Iranon learned that two men gained entry into the school via the kitchen area and were observed on video surveillance taking several items. As they were leaving the area, the thieves noticed the video camera recording them and cut the power cord to the camera. Iranon was able to review the video footage and recognized the two suspects from previous police contact.

Checking surrounding neighborhoods for the suspects, Iranon found one of the male parties a few hours later pushing a shopping cart containing one of the items that was stolen. The second suspect was located and arrested by other Kona patrol officers less than a mile away.

Both suspects were transported to the Kealakehe police station.

After receiving consent to search the suspects’ bags, officers discovered additional items that were stolen from a big-box store in Kona. Iranon conducted a follow-up investigation and found that the two men were also observed on video surveillance taking items without permission from the big-box store.

Both men faced several charges, including fraudulent use of a credit card, unauthorized use of personal information, habitual property crimes, two counts of fourth-degree theft and third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug.

The Kona Crime Prevention Committee honors a police officer in West Hawai‘i each month as Officer of the Month. Officers are nominated by their supervisors from the various police districts and a winner is selected by the committee’s board of directors.

All officers selected a Officer of the Month are eligible to be named the Kona Crime Prevention Committee’s Officer of the Year.