Hawai‘i Island police officer new to force latest recipient of Haweo Award

After only two months on solo patrol, Hawai‘i Island Police Officer Kaleb Caves received the Haweo Award for his investigative skills that resulted in the recovery of stolen property in multiple cases.

Caves, who works in Hāmākua, was given the award during a ceremony at Hawai‘i County Council chambers in Hilo on Dec. 18, 2024. A member of the 99th recruit class, the officer had been on solo patrol less than two weeks when on Sept. 28, 2024, he met with a woman who reported that her ex-boyfriend refused to return her vehicle to her.

Caves learned that the boyfriend had two outstanding bench warrants totaling $15,000.

According to a press release from the police department, Caves checked different locations but was not able to locate the suspect or the vehicle. Two days later, Caves learned of the suspect’s location and, accompanied by another officer, went to that location and the suspect was immediately arrested for his outstanding bench warrants.

The officers facilitated the return of the vehicle to the woman and although the victim elected not to pursue prosecution, the investigation was sent to the Hawai‘i County Prosecutor’s Office.

A month later on Oct. 30, while patrolling Honoka‘a Town, Caves observed a white Toyota Tundra truck traveling west on Māmane Street. Having received information during briefings that a similar truck was reported stolen from a Puakō residence, Officer Caves started following the truck. Despite losing sight of the vehicle due to other vehicles in front of him, Caves checked areas known for suspected criminal activity and found the truck.

The driver had left the area before he arrived on scene, however, Caves was able to confirm that the truck was indeed the one stolen from Puakō and the vehicle was recovered as evidence.

Consulting with the Area II Criminal Investigation Section detective assigned to the stolen truck investigation, Caves worked with the detective to draft a search warrant for the truck. When Caves and the detective executed the search warrant on the truck the following day, he discovered an ATV rack in the truck bed.

Two weeks earlier, on Oct. 13, Caves had investigated an ATV theft in the Kalōpā area. Although the ATV was recovered after being found on the side of the road, the suspect remained unknown. Caves later determined that the ATV rack recovered from the truck bed was from the stolen ATV, and was returned to the owner.

Caves also noted that the tread pattern of the tires on the recovered stolen truck matched imprints left in dirt at the scene of a separate theft investigation. While no suspects have been arrested yet, Caves’ investigative skills have resulted in connecting criminal investigations and having property returned to their rightful owners while keeping in touch with victims and informing them of updates.

These investigations occurred within the first two months of Caves being assigned to Hāmākua Patrol.

According to his supervisors, Caves embodies the department’s core values of integrity, professionalism, compassion, teamwork, and community satisfaction.