Honolulu police Chief Boisse P. Correa underwent emergency back surgery Friday and remains in the hospital.

Correa, 61, was in stable condition yesterday and is still police chief, though Deputy Chief Paul Putzulu has day-to-day control of the department, the Honolulu Police Commission confirmed.

The emergency surgery was the third back procedure Correa has undergone in 18 months.

His recovery could take two to six months after he is released from the hospital.

Correa's back pain became intolerable Thursday night and he was taken to The Queen's Medical Center, where doctors decided to perform surgery Friday, the commission confirmed.

Members of the Police Commission and Mayor Mufi Hannemann were told of his surgery and hospitalization Monday.

Police Commission Chairman Boyd S. Andrade said no timetable for his return was available.

"He's at Queen's hospital and will be confined for several days," Andrade said yesterday. "I told him (Putzulu) that he and his staff were doing an excellent job running the department. We have confidence in Putzulu."

Police Capt. Frank T. Fujii said the "chief is recuperating" but declined further comment. When asked yesterday about Correa, a Queen's spokeswoman said no patient information was being released.

Since taking the $110,000-a-year job in August 2004, Correa has taken 131 days of workers' compensation leave, 56 vacation days and has been out of the office on 15 city-sponsored trips, according to Police Department records.

He had been on injured leave for more than a month before his surgery Friday.

Correa has been running the department from his home via video teleconferencing, phone calls and meetings with commanders.

Tenari Maafala, president of the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, said it is Correa's prerogative to use his accrued sick leave and the union has no concerns with him running the department from his sickbed.

"It's not hurting the department and we definitely don't see any wrongdoing," Maafala said. "I don't think he is the type of person who would abuse sick leave. It's sad that some are portraying this as questionable use of accrued sick leave."

Correa has told commission members that he has battled back problems since 2002 when he was an assistant police chief.

Correa reinjured his back in early 2006 during a training exercise at the department's recruit academy in Waipahu. He underwent back surgery in April 2006 and again in August 2006.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.