HPD Officers Honored at Awards Ceremony

Officer Bryan Tina, Officer Kristi Crivello, Chief Harry Kubojiri, Sergeant Brandon Konanui and Deputy Chief Paul Ferreira pose with Captain Robert Wagner (fourth from left), who was named Hawaiʻi County Manager of the Year. HPD photo.

Police Capt. Robert F. Wagner was named “Hawaiʻi County Manager of the Year” in a ceremony Monday, Nov. 21, in Hilo.

At the ceremony held in the Aupuni Center Conference Room, the county also recognized Sgt. Brandon Konanui as “Hawaiʻi County Supervisor of the Year” and Officers Bryan Tina and Kristi Crivello as “Hawaiʻi County Employee of the Year.”

Wagner, a 31-year veteran of the Hawaiʻi Police Department, is the commander of the Area I Criminal Investigations Division, which includes the Criminal Investigations Section, the Vice Section and the Juvenile Aid section.

Area I CID is responsible for the Hamakua, North Hilo, South Hilo and Puna Districts.

In nomination papers, Major Randy Apele praised Wagner for providing ongoing training for current and future supervisors and for creating a Special Enforcement Unit to investigate burglaries, felony property crimes, robberies and other high-profile crimes.

“Captain Wagner has also displayed outstanding supervisory and management skills in planning, setting objectives, scheduling, organizing, delegating and controlling the work of the Criminal Investigation Division to lead to the positive resolutions in several high-profile cases, including the arrest and charge of Peter Kema Sr. and his wife, Jaylin, for the murder of Peter Boy Kema,” Apele wrote. “Overall, CID cleared 16 murder and attempted murder cases during the 2015-16 fiscal year.”