Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawaiʻi honors Officer, Firefighter of the Year for 2022

Selflessness, dedication and hard work.

Those qualities and others are why the Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawaiʻi selected Hawaiʻi Police Department Puna Patrol Officer Michael Sailer as its Officer of the Year for 2022 and Hawai‘i Fire Department Capt. Jon Wayne Boteilho as its Firefighter of the Year for 2022.

The two men were honored during a ceremony March 25 in Hilo.

Sailer, a 5-year veteran of the Police Department, was recognized for his exceptional investigative police work and lifesaving efforts following a June 7, 2022, report of a dispute in the Volcano area. The incident involved the kidnapping and torture of a male victim.

Upon his arrival, Sailer was told only that a dropped 9-1-1 call from a cellphone was received from the remote rural area. Despite having little to no information, he spent a good deal of time searching the area for any signs of foul play. After several minutes, he heard a man faintly cry out for help. Then it became quiet.

Sailer located a residence nearby and for several minutes called out “Police,” but no one answered. He also observed what appeared to be a small amount of blood on the front door of the residence.

When a male teen finally opened the door, Sailer noticed he was wearing gloves and could hear a man yelling for help from within the home.

Asking the teen to step outside, Sailer entered the front room and discovered a man on the floor. The man was handcuffed with his feet zip-tied and a rag partially stuffed in his mouth and duct taped. Another man was kneeling on top of the victim.

After securing the residence, Sailer found tactical gear, an assault rifle, a pistol, ammunition and evidence of a kidnapping and assault that took place in the home. During the course of his investigation, the officer discovered the victim was held against his will and assaulted.

It appeared that the two males in the residence might have intended to kill the victim and then cover it up. The teen and male adult suspect were eventually charged with a variety of crimes, including kidnapping and assault.

“Officer Sailer’s dedication to duty and willingness to conduct a thorough search of the area led to him finding the residence, and ultimately the victim in this case,” said Hawai‘i Police Chief Ben Moszkowicz in a media release. “His actions literally saved the life of the male victim, who would otherwise have been killed. I am extremely proud of Officer Sailer and the hard work he put in to solve this case.”

Boteilho, an 18-year veteran of the Fire Department, was honored for consistently going above and beyond the call of duty. He has spent most of his career at the Pāhoa fire station, one of the busiest on island with a response area the size of O‘ahu.

Boteilho uses his extensive mechanical skills to meticulously maintain equipment at the Pāhoa station while sharing his skills with his crew. By handling routine repairs in-house, he saves the department time and money while ensuring the station’s equipment is always at the ready.

In addition to his regular duties as a captain, Boteilho also oversees the department’s Respiratory Management Program. Affectionately nicknamed “Airheads,” members of this program are responsible for fit-testing self-contained breathing apparatuses and N95 masks, as well as updating, maintaining and testing the breathing packs, which is critical to protect firefighters and ensure they receive quality oxygen in high-stress situations.

Boteilho has stepped up to learn all aspects of the Respiratory Management Program, from inventory management to equipment calibrations, product ordering, scheduling and more. Because the department needs to conduct fit-testing annually, he travels around the island to all of the department’s stations to ensure personnel have properly maintained gear.

He’s been seen working on self-contained breathing apparatus packs between calls while on duty because, in his words, “It will save the department money on overtime.”

“The selfless service and true humility displayed by Capt. Boteilho is what every firefighter aspires to be,” said Deputy Fire Chief Eric Moller. “His work ethic and dedication to doing what is right is what makes him perfect for this award.”

The Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawai‘i selects and honors a police officer in East Hawai‘i each month as its Officer of the Month. Officers are nominated by their supervisors from the police districts in Area I, including Hāmākua, North Hilo, South Hilo and Puna.

All Officers of the Month are eligible to be named the club’s Officer of the Year. Sailer was Officer of the Month for June 2022.

The Firefighter of the Year nominee is submitted to the club by the fire chief.