Hawai‘i Police Department’s Capt. Amon-Wilkins honored with Haweo Award

The Hawai‘i County Council recently honored a Hawai‘i Police Department officer for his leadership, work ethic and unwavering service to the community.

Capt. Rio Amon-Wilkins was given the Haweo Award during the Nov. 1 meeting of the Council’s Parks and Recreation and Public Safety Committee. He was presented with a lei and certificate signed by each council member. The award recognizes Police and Fire Department personnel who go above and beyond the call of duty.

Amon-Wilkins is commander of the Area I Criminal Investigation Division, which is comprised of the Juvenile Aid Section, Vice Section, Criminal Investigation Section and Crime Lab, covering a total of 35 employees. He does double duty as captain of the Criminal Investigation Section, charged with investigating the most heinous of crimes, ranging from sexual assault to murder.

He previously served as lieutenant of the Criminal Investigation Section and Juvenile Aid Section, respectively, before being promoted to captain.

“A 23-year veteran of the department, Amon-Wilkins has earned the respect of other captains within the department for his quick responsiveness regardless of the time of day or night, his positive impact on criminal investigations and the confidence he inspires in the men and women working under him,” the Police Department said in a media release. “His guidance to patrol officers helps ensure they consistently make the right calls at serious felony investigations, and he promotes a positive learning experience when they call for advice.”

The following incident is one of many that highlights the captain’s skills and leadership.

On June 29, Amon-Wilkins was notified about a reported homicide in lower Puna. Even though the crime scene was more than 20 miles from his office, he was on scene within 30 minutes with his team and took charge of the investigation, assigning personnel to interviews and evidence recovery.

While there, a male party provided information that led to the successful apprehension of a suspect, and Amon-Wilkins directly assisted in the arrest.

“His calm demeanor, experience and leadership at the scene directly resulted in the arrest and charging of a male suspect for murder,” the Police Department said in the media release. “At the scene, it was evident that Capt. Amon-Wilkins has a good working relationship with his investigative personnel and has confidence in their investigative abilities.”