What are the backgrounds of the 8 finalists for Hawai‘i County police chief?

From a pool of about 64 applicants, of which only 27 met the minimum qualifications, the search for a new police chief for the Hawaiʻi Island Police Department is now down to 8 finalists.

There had been 11 finalists — the top scoring from a questionnaire filled out by 22 candidates — but two candidates pulled themselves out of the running for the job and the third didn’t respond by the deadline, said Police Commission Chair Greg Yamada.

Of the eight finalists, two already work on the force. The others come from as far away as Maryland and the Pacific island of Niue. One has been a chief, one is an interim chief and two have served as acting chiefs. They have worked at small agencies and large ones, in San Diego and Las Vegas.

The Police Commission will interview the top eight candidates over the course of two meetings on Thursday, Jan. 29, and Friday, Jan. 30, at the West Hawai‘i Civic Center in Kona.

Community members will have an opportunity to testify at those meetings before the interviews began, which will be conducted in alphabetical order. The meetings, which will be available online, start at 9 a.m.

“By the end of (next) Friday, we should know who our new chief is,” Yamada said, adding that it will be a conditional offer as a background check will need to be completed.

Yamada said the commission would like to see someone in the role of police chief who has knowledge and sensitivity to the Hawaiian culture and people.

“It’s not necessarily that the candidate has to be from Hawai‘i, but they should at least have knowledge of what we’re working with over here,” Yamada said.

The commission is allotting an hour to each applicant. Yamada said the body has a set of predetermined questions, which the commissioners voted on. They cover a variety of categories.

Yamada said there is a good cross-section of candidates: “I saw a couple who seemed pretty impressive on paper as far as where they would like to take the department and future goals.”

So who are the candidates? Here is a look at their backgrounds in alphabetical order.

Chad Janis: Captain, Yakima Police Department, Washington

Janis has been a police officer in Washington state for more than 25 years, specializing in collaborative public safety initiatives.

He began his law enforcement career in 2000 with the Wapato Police Department, a small, incorporated city within the exterior boundaries of the Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Indian Nation. In 2003, he lateraled to the Yakima Police Department, a city serving nearly 100,000 residents.

Currently, he serves as the Captain of Patrol Operations, overseeing multiple commissioned and civilian units.

Last summer, he served as acting chief while the Yakima chief and 13 other officers were put on administrative leave due to a shooting incident that resulted in the second death of the day in Yakima from the same case, according to a media report.

Janis was named the Yakima Police Department’s first Officer of the Year in 2014. At the time, he was a detective assigned to the Special Assault Unit that investigates sexual assaults, domestic violence and crimes against children.

Janis also was the 2023 recipient of the Police Executive Research Forum-Gary P. Hayes Memorial Award for Innovation in policing.

He also was on the SWAT team and involved in several community groups that work closely with victims of sexual abuse.

Janis has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Walden University and is currently pursuing his master’s degree at Harvard Extension School. He is a graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police session 87.

To watch a video Janis did for recruiting, click here.

Jennifer Ann Krauss: Assistant Chief, Cheverly Police Department, Maryland

Krauss serves as the Assistant Chief of Police for the Town of Cheverly, Md., a close-knit town of about 6,000. Since assuming this role, she has led the rebranding and revitalization of the Cheverly Police Department, transforming an agency operating at approximately 20% staffing into a fully staffed department in less than one year.

Krauss has more than 30 years of progressive law enforcement and senior-level management experience working for the Prince George’s County Police Department, offering expertise developed at every level of policing. Her career includes Patrol Operations, undercover work within the Narcotics Enforcement Division targeting Street and Major Narcotics, and executive leadership in the Training and Education Division, where she directed curriculum, policy development and professional standards.

Krauss also served as a Commander in the Special Assignment Division Gang Unit, and in the Special Operations Division, commanding the Canine Section and the Conflict Negotiations Team during high-risk and critical incidents.

She also served as acting chief, when the Cheverly police chief was put on restricted duty in October after fatally shooting a suspect who charged him with two knives, according to multiple media reports.

Anthony Kumamaru: Retired Lieutenant, Las Vegas Police Department, Nevada

Kumamaru was born and raised in Hawai‘i and is a high school graduate of Kamehameha Schools. He moved from Oʻahu to Las Vegas and joined the force in 2013. During his time there, Kumamaru held positions as commander of internal investigations, criminal investigations, counter terrorism, dignitary protection, public support unit, MACTAC (multi-assault, counter terrorism action capabilities), drones and technology, as well as patrol.

Kumamaru last served on the Las Vegas Police Department in public safety, during which he spent a lot of interaction dealing with the houseless population. He retired from the department as a lieutenant.

Kumamaru worked with the NFL and Formula One as a member of the security management team that planned and executed Super Bowl LVIII and the Las Vegas Formula One Grand Prix.

Kumamaru responded to one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States on Oct. 1, 2017, when a man on the 32nd floor of a hotel fired more than 1,000 rounds, killing 60 people and injuring at least 413 during the Route 91 Harvest Festival. Kumamaru also responded to an active shooter at the at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on Dec. 6, 2023.

Reed Mahuna: Interim Police Chief, Hawai‘i County Police Department

Mahuna is a nearly 28-year veteran of the Hawai‘i Police Department, serving as interim police chief since the resignation of former chief Ben Mozskowicz took effect Aug. 31.

Mahuna has held the positions of deputy police chief, police major in technical services, police major in Area I Operations, police captain in the Area I and Area II Criminal Investigation Division and the Hamakua and Hilo Patrol Districts.

Mahuna has held various other command, patrol and investigative positions throughout the department and holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal justice from Lindenwood University.

Mahuna was born and raised on the Big Island and is married with two children. Mahuna’s wife is a public-school teacher, his daughter attends the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, and his son is a senior at Waiakea High School.

John Matagi: Captain, Washington State Patrol, Washington

Matagi brings more than 26 years of law enforcement experience, including 24 years with the Washington State Patrol.

He was raised in Utah, American Samoa and Hawaiʻi. He began working at 13 years old at the Polynesian Cultural Center. After serving two years in Japan as a missionary, he returned to the Polynesian Cultural Center as a Japanese translator and later worked as a tour coordinator for Japanese visitors across the Midwest before entering law enforcement.

He is a graduate and former class president of Kahuku High School on Oʻahu. He was a four sport varsity athlete and later competed in the South Pacific Games Olympic Trials as part of the American Samoa wrestling team. His athletic background led him to coaching in the Kahuku community, a commitment he continued throughout his years in Washington.

While working full-time and raising a family, he earned an associate degree in criminal justice, a bachelor’s degree in applied management, and a master’s degree in human resources.

Matagi has extensive law enforcement experience in field operations, training, and human resources, and currently leads special operations, overseeing Capitol Police, executive protection and aviation.

He and his wife, Jamie, have been married for 29 years and raised five children whose paths include the U.S. Navy, the Department of Justice, business and client services, and collegiate athletics—including their son, who recently signed to play football as a defensive tackle for the Oregon State Beavers. Their youngest will enter high school this year.

Matagi is eligible to retire from the Washington State Patrol this year and is prepared to return home to Hawaiʻi to continue serving the community in a new capacity.

Kenneth Quiocho: Assistant Chief, Hawaiʻi County Police Department

Quiocho is a 33-year veteran of the Hawaiʻi County Police Department and currently serves as an assistant police chief. He has dedicated his career to serving the Big Island, where he lives and raises his family.

Throughout his tenure, Quiocho has held assignments in patrol, investigations and executive leadership, providing him with broad experience in departmental operations and community policing.

He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, where he completed advanced leadership training with law enforcement professionals from across the United States and internationally.

Quiocho’s served as an officer in Hāmākua and South Kohala, traffic enforcement officer and field training officer in South Kohala, canine handler in Area I Vice Section, detective in Area II Criminal Investigation Section, patrol sergeant in South Kohala and the Training Section, lieutenant in Communications-Dispatch and the Accreditation Section, captain in Ka‘ū, Puna and South Hilo. He previously held the post of Area I Field/Investigative Operations Major and subsequently as the Acting Assistant Chief of the Area I Field/Investigative Operations.

Timothy Wilson: Former Chief of Police, Niue, Pacific Islands

Wilson is a senior law enforcement executive with more than 25 years of public safety experience. He began his career in 1998 as a police auxiliary/reserve officer and completed the Reserve Basic Police Academy in 1999, followed by progressive service in operational, supervisory and executive leadership roles.

Wilson served four four years as Chief of Police in Niue, a small self-governing, Polynesian island nation in free association with New Zealand.

He held national-level responsibility for policing and public safety. His portfolio includes disaster management and emergency response, search and rescue operations, and oversight of airport operations and national security functions.

In this role, he also engaged in regional and international coordination with neighboring Pacific nations and security partners to strengthen law enforcement collaboration and emergency preparedness.

In 2024, when he left as police chief, Wilson received high praise from the chairperson of the
Niue Public Service Commission.

Wilson holds a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration and is recognized for his focus on professional standards, accountability and advancing strong, resilient communities through effective, collaborative public safety leadership.

Paul Yang: Retired Lieutenant, San Diego Police Department, California

Yang is a seasoned law enforcement executive with more than three decades of experience, spanning from frontline operations to strategic command. Committed to strengthening the bond between police agencies and the public, Yang advocates modern policing strategies grounded in trust, service, and the core tenets of 21st-century policing.

Yang holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from the University of the Cumberlands, a Master of Science from the University of San Diego, and Management and Executive Management certificates from the Peace Officers Standards and Training.

Yang has influenced national discussions on community policing through his work with the Police Executive Research Forum and the National Center for Policing Innovation. He also shared program knowledge at the 2014 International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

As an author on Servant Leadership, he trains teams in the “Ideal Team Player” methodology to build cultures defined by accountability, teamwork and excellence.

Beyond the badge, Yang serves as the Executive Director of San Diego Hmong Heritage. In this role, he continues his dedication of service by preserving cultural history, uplifting community voices, and fostering connections across diverse groups.