Sherry Bird selected as deputy chief of Hawai‘i Island police, pending commission approval

Hawai‘i Police Chief Reed K. Mahuna has selected Assistant Chief Sherry Bird as deputy chief.

The selection is pending approval by the Hawai‘i County Police Commission.

If approved, Bird’s appointment would mark the first time in the department’s 83-year history that a woman has served as deputy chief.

Bird became the department’s highest-ranking woman in the department’s history when she was promoted to assistant chief of the Administration Bureau in February 2025. In that role, she oversees the Special Response Team, Administrative Services Division, and Technical Services Division. Previously, Bird served as major of the Administrative Services Division, which includes the Training Section, Word Processing Center, and the Accreditation, Safety, Human Resources, Finance, and Community Relations sections.

“Assistant Chief Bird’s selection reflects both her proven leadership and the breadth and depth of her experience across virtually every facet of this department,” Mahuna said. “She has demonstrated strong administrative expertise as well as operational knowledge gained from years working in investigations, patrol, and command positions. Her appointment is historic for our department, and I am confident her leadership will continue to strengthen our service to the Hawaiʻi Island community.”

During her 28-year tenure with the department, she has also served as Major of Area II (Kona) Field Operations Bureau, which encompasses the police department’s West Hawai‘i districts. Bird’s former assignments were as Patrol Captain for the South Kohala district, Lieutenant in Area II Criminal Investigation Division Lieutenant in Area II Vice, Detective in Area II Vice, Officer in the Criminal Intelligence Unit, and Patrol Officer in the North Kohala and Kona districts.

The Police Commission is scheduled to consider the appointment at its next meeting on March 20, at 9 a.m. in the West Hawaiʻi Civic Center, Building A Council Chambers.