Lifeguard, officers honored

Advertiser Staff

Police Chief Lee Donohue presented certificates of merit to city lifeguard Frank Gleason and police officers John Coleman and Kevin Bailey on Wednesday.

Donohue also recognized Sgt. Gay Ann "Kaui" Mattson as sergeant of the year and District 6's (Waikiki) Night Operations, Sector 1, as unit of the quarter.

Gleason was working Feb. 13 at Ala Moana Beach when he saw a man steal a backpack. Gleason chased the man and caught him near the intersection of Pi'ikoi Street and Ala Moana, where he detained the man until police arrived.

Coleman and Bailey responded to a report of a shooting Feb. 1 at the Ihilani Resort. After clearing the area, the officers began speaking with the man, who was distraught and armed with a handgun. The officers developed a rapport with the man that would help Specialized Services Division officers. The man surrendered.

Mattson joined the department in 1976 and has been assigned to District 6 since 1995. She is responsible for planning and implementing operational plans for major Waikiki events, including parades, block parties, marathons, and city-sponsored events.

District 6's Night Operations, Sector 1, was credited with reducing prostitution and illegal street peddling in Waikiki. In addition to identifying prostitutes and pimps, the 10 officers and their three supervisors conducted undercover stings and reverse stings.

The officers organized a large operation to shut down illegal lei peddling on the beach and formed a street crimes team.

The sector officers are Lts. Dwight Rodrigues and Harrison Kim Han, Sgt. Richard Robinson, and officers Kerry Knudson, Kirk Uemura, Casey Kailihiwa, Christopher Tanodra, Mark Matsusaka, Nathan Oshima, Robert Natividad, Herbert Sardinha, Scott Tamaoka and Susan Klimek.