Hawaiʻi County police commissioners discuss hiring procedures for next chief

The Hawaiʻi County Police Commission discussed and voted on procedures for hiring the next police chief during Friday’s meeting.

According to the County of Hawaiʻi Department of Human Resources, as of Friday, 17 people have applied for the position before the Oct. 31 deadline.

The search for a new police chief comes after the commission voted to accept an emailed resignation by Chief Ben Moszkowicz, which he tried to withdraw. Deputy Chief Reed Mahuna is serving as interim chief during the search.

After the application deadline, the Department of Human Resources will screen the applications for minimum qualifications, and all applicants who meet the requirements will be sent written questions with 10 days to respond.

Commissioners agreed to continue the anonymized scoring process used during the 2022 selection, in which applicants are assigned numbers and graded on their written responses without their names being disclosed.

During the meeting, Vice Chair John Bertsch suggested adding a written question for police chief applicants related to immigration enforcement, especially since most meetings have included hours of public testimony regarding the issue.

The question will ask: “Given Hawaiʻi County’s unique cultural values and its legal obligations under state and federal law, how do you view the appropriate role of Hawaiʻi County Police Department in supporting or declining to participate in federal immigration enforcement activities?”

The commission agreed to include questions regarding the State of Hawaiʻi Organization of Police Officers as well as 21st-century policing to ensure the future police chief has strong technological skills.

Commissioner Jacob Tavares proposed adding many other questions, including an open-ended question: “Outside of these questions, is there anything else you would like to tell the selection committee about yourself or your background that strengthens the argument that you’re the best candidate for the job?”

Commissioners also facilitated further discussion over the transparency of the hiring process and debated if the meetings should be live-streamed and if virtual public testimony would be allowed.

While Chair Rick Robinson wasn’t enthusiastic about the idea of allowing virtual testimony, other commissioners said live-streaming would help boost public confidence.

Robinson said people could send questions through emails and letters, or they could testify at the three or four county-approved buildings. Bertsch said the commission would need to talk with the mayor’s office to determine what technology is available.

In the end, commissioners voted to live-stream the hiring process for transparency but not to allow people to testify over Zoom from home.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be notified through email and will receive written questions, to which they will have precisely 10 days to respond. Their written replies are due by 11:59 p.m. on the 10th day.

After the commission scores the written answers and narrows the pool of applicants, the final applicants will be identified and will answer questions from the commission in person during a public meeting.