Police Chief Boisse Correa is still unable to work and there is no timetable for his return from a back injury that has perplexed his doctors and forced him to miss 127 days of work during the past 18 months, the acting chief said yesterday.

Acting Police Chief Paul Putzulu told the Honolulu Police Commission that Correa has given no indication of when he will be back at work and that Correa's doctors are unable to determine what is wrong with his back.

Putzulu told the commission the same thing two weeks ago.

Correa, 61, is on paid injured leave because of a back injury that required two surgeries last year.

Correa met with his doctor two weeks ago and again last week, but tests attempting to pinpoint the problem have been inconclusive.

"We don't know (when he will be back) and we asked several times," Police Commission Chairman Boyd Andrade said in an interview.

"As soon as they know when he's going to come back, they'll let us know, and that was all that was said, so that's where it is," he said.

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.

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

Correa has said he is on injured leave because of his health but declined to discuss it further.

He has not responded to at least five requests from The Advertiser seeking comment.

In the past two weeks, the department has been filming a "get well Chief" video for Correa at police substations islandwide.

Since taking the $110,000-a-year job in August 2004, Correa has taken 127 days of industrial leave and 56 vacation days and has been out of the office on 15 city-sponsored trips, according to Police Department records.

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

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.