Hawaiʻi County Police Commission explores strategies for filling police chief vacancy

The Hawaiʻi County Police Commission discussed the process of hiring a new police chief during its monthly meeting on Friday, but with four members missing it will discuss requirements for the position at its next meeting in September.

On Friday, Michelle Simmons, head of the countyʻs Human Resources Recruitment Division, gave a presentation about the last hiring process of chief that ended with the selection of Ben Moszkowicz in 2022.

That year, the recruitment for a new chief was conducted by the commission and the Department of Human Resources. The application period was open for 28 days in August and advertised in three newspapers.

Applicants that met the minimum requirements received notice from Human Resources and then were sent a confidential, interrogatory questionnaire that they returned anonymously.

The Police Commission deliberated about the answers to find a group of finalists. Once they were determined, the finalists were unmasked to the Police Commission.

Finalists’ names were made public. Each gave a brief introduction and answered questions during an open Police Commission meeting.

The four finalists then had an in-person executive session interview with the commissioners, who then chose the next police chief.

According to Simmons, the one-year residency requirement was waived by the commission in 2022, which led to concern from commissioners Wendy Botelho and Lloyd Enriquez.

“I want to look at criteria from 2022, especially about the residency,” Botelho said. “I don’t want to waive it. I would want them to live here more than that. I’ll be here for 10 more years. I’m not going anywhere, and I want someone who has that same investment and many people in my district feel the same way.”

Sinclair Salas-Ferguson with the county’s Office of Corporation Counsel stated that he could schedule an executive session for the next meeting with more police commissioners, so they can go over the legal requirements for posting the job vacancy and discuss the requirements they want to see in applicants.

“Right now, what I’m hearing from Human Resources is that they can help put out the notice of vacancy in the newspaper, and then they can accept all the applications, check for those minimum requirements and remove all identifying information for the commission,” Salas-Ferguson said. “Based on the people who meet the minimum qualifications, Human Resources can then facilitate the questionnaire with the commissioners’ input, but the commission can decide how to do that process.”

Acting Police Chief Reed Mahuna will become interim chief Sept. 1, after Moszkowicz ends his tenure Aug. 31.

According to Commission Chair Rick Robinson, who was on the police commission that hired Moszkowicz, there is no time limit to publishing the notice of vacancy, and Mahuna can serve as interim chief for as long as necessary.

“The two issues I’m seeing are how we will change the process to grade and select the new police chief, and then the requirements we want the new police chief to have,” Robinson said. “I think working with Human Resources to put out the application would still be helpful when we decide on the time.”

During the meeting, the panel’s newest commissioner Bernadette Urban-Smith asked if newspapers were the only place the job vacancy could be posted. Salas-Ferguson said different advertising methods for posting the notice of vacancy could be discussed during the next meeting.

“Once the application closes and the commission is notified of everyone meeting the minimum qualifications, it is up to the discretion of commissioners on what requirements and leadership qualities are most important and necessary to fill the role,” Salas-Ferguson said.

Robinson suggested a commissioner be a liaison between Human Resources and the Police Commission during the process, especially since his term will be up at the end of the year.

No motions were made since half the commission was absent, and plans were made to discuss requirements for the position during the next meeting on Sept. 19 at the West Hawaiʻi Civic Center.