Gamache and Quiocho named Kona Officers of the Month for December

The Kona Crime Prevention Committee has named Hawai‘i Police Department Field Training Officer Alysa Gamache and Kona Patrol Officer Kastle Quiocho as Officers of the Month for December 2025.

The committee cited their professionalism and decisive response to a significant disturbance in Kailua-Kona earlier this year.

Law enforcement reported the two officers were among those who responded at approximately 2:20 a.m. on June 29 to reports of a fight involving dozens of people in a grocery store parking lot on Henry Street.

The officers encountered an estimated 20 to 30 individuals engaged in a physical altercation.

Gamache and Quiocho worked with other responding officers to separate those involved and calm the scene, allowing investigators to determine that the incident stemmed from ongoing disputes among a small group.

During the investigation, officers received information that a firearm might be inside a vehicle at the scene. Assisting officers later observed a gun beneath the driver’s seat from outside the vehicle.

Based on those observations, Gamache and Quiocho arrested the vehicle’s occupants and arranged for the vehicle to be towed to the Kona Police Station while a search warrant was sought.

A warrant was later approved and served, leading to the recovery of a small-caliber revolver. 

At the time of the incident, Quiocho was still a recruit in field training. Police noted his calm demeanor and attention to detail under high-pressure conditions, while Gamache was recognized for her leadership and mentorship throughout the incident.

“The tutelage provided by FTO Gamache and the initiative of Officer Quiocho on June 29 embodies our department’s core values of professionalism, teamwork and commitment to community safety,” said Kona Patrol Sgt. Len Hamakado, who nominated the officers.

The Kona Crime Prevention Committee recognizes an officer each month for exemplary service to the West Hawai‘i community. As December honorees, Gamache and Quiocho are now eligible for consideration as the 2026 Officer of the Year.