The chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i and the co-chairwoman of Mayor Mufi Hannemann's transition committee have been appointed to the Honolulu Police Commission.

Mike McCartney was the chief executive officer of PBS Hawaii prior to his role with the Democratic Party. He joins Christine H.H. Camp Friedman, president and CEO of The Avalon Group and co-chair of Hannemann's transition committee, as replacements for Paul Leong and Carol Takahashi.

Leong and Takahashi, both appointed by former Mayor Jeremy Harris, were the last of Harris' appointees on the commission.

Leong's five-year term was up and Takahashi decided to step down a year early. Neither could be reached for comment yesterday.

"I feel honored. He (Hannemann) wanted someone who had the good intentions of the community at heart and wouldn't have any conflicts," Friedman said. "I want to take it very seriously and I'm looking forward to it. We have a very strong and capable chief."

Friedman said she is interested in taking a look at HPD's budget.

"For me, it's an honor, and if I am confirmed it will be an honor to serve on the commission," McCartney said. "It's probably one of the toughest jobs in the community, to serve as a Honolulu police officer, and they provide a vital service.

"This is a way that I hope I can use some of my prior experience to do a good job on the commission."

Both will appear before the Honolulu City Council on Wednesday for the first of two hearings to confirm their appointments.

Before founding The Avalon Group, Friedman was vice president of development at A&B Properties Inc., a subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin Inc., in charge of the company's real estate development and investment acquisition activities, according to the Avalon Web site.

She also was senior project coordinator of planning and engineering at Castle & Cooke Properties Inc., where she handled site acquisition and development of non-company owned properties, inclusive of the Waikele and Wailuna master-planned communities.

Other members are Charlian Wright, Benjamin Saguibo, Mark Hunsaker, Keith Amemiya and Boyd Andrade.

The Honolulu Police Commission was founded in 1932 and is made up of seven individuals appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the City Council.

All members serve staggered terms of five years, volunteering their services and receiving no compensation. The commission elects its own chair and vice chair each year from among its members.

The Police Commission has the following mandated responsibilities: