4 vie for Big Island police chief job

By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

HILO, Hawai'i — Four Big Island police officers, including acting Chief Lawrence Mahuna, yesterday were chosen as finalists for the vacant Hawai'i County police chief job.

The county Police Commission eliminated Lt. Robert Hill, Lana'i commander for the Maui County Police Department, from the list of five semifinalists selected from a group of 12 candidates screened last month.

In addition to Mahuna, the finalists are Maj. Charles Chai, Capt. Sam Thomas and detective Moses Kaoiwi. All are with the Hawai'i County Police Department.

The selection process continues at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Hilo, when the public will be allowed to comment on the candidates at a meeting at the Hawai'i County Council Room.

The finalists will be given five minutes each to make a presentation, then will answer written questions submitted by the audience. A similar hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Nov. 29 in Kona at the Keauhou Beach Resort.

The chief will be selected Dec. 9 at the council room.

The five semifinalists were interviewed yesterday in a five-hour, closed-door executive session.

Chai, Mahuna and Thomas each received six votes and Kaoiwi received five from the nine-member commission. Hill got three votes. Five votes were required to continue.

Mahuna, a former assistant chief and former Waimea commander, was named as acting chief in August after the retirement of Chief Jimmy Correa, who took a federal security job.

Thomas, a 20-year police veteran, is the captain of the internal affairs division. Kaoiwi is an internal affairs investigator. Chai has served as major in charge of administration.