Honolulu police Chief Boisse P. Correa is expected to return to duty full-time by Jan. 2, nearly 10 weeks after his third back surgery in the past 18 months, according to the Honolulu Police Commission.

During a meeting at HPD headquarters yesterday, a letter from Correa's doctor and an internal department newsletter stating Correa would be back at work in about "seven or eight weeks" following emergency surgery Oct. 19 was shared with commission members.

Commission members are optimistic about Correa's return but caution that the severity of his back injuries make the length of his recovery period difficult to gauge.

Police Commission Chairman Boyd S. Andrade said Correa could return "in early January."

"We're not sure, it could be early January, it could be later, it could be earlier," said Andrade, speaking after the commission meeting yesterday. "We're going by the doctor's letter."

Correa's back pain became unbearable Oct. 18 and he was taken to The Queen's Medical Center, where doctors performed surgery the next day.

Correa has declined to comment on his health. A department spokesman could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Since taking the $110,000-a-year job in August 2004, Correa has taken 160 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 October surgery.

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

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.