Boisse Correa concluded five years as Honolulu's police chief and 39 years on the force yesterday, saying he may reappear on the public scene as a politician or in some other government role.

In a tearful farewell ceremony, the 64-year-old Correa drove away from police headquarters satisfied that he was leaving "the finest police department in the nation."

"If you ask other chiefs, they will say they're the best. But we are the safest big city in the country — only San Jose comes close," Correa said in an interview at his office.

Honolulu's safety rating is a direct result of the "attitude and conduct" of police officers here, Correa said. He said there is nowhere on O'ahu he would not feel comfortable walking by himself at 2:30 in the morning.

"Do we have our problems? Are there areas that have more crime than others? Yes, but we have a community that won't tolerate abuse of anyone," he said.

The chief said his immediate plans are to sleep in late this morning and visit with his father, Lawrence, 93, who arrives from Missouri next week.

Beyond that, Correa said he is considering entering politics, taking on another government job or even working as a volunteer for a public agency.

"Some people have already come up to me and asked me to help out. I created over the years a lot of relationships and friends," he said.

The Honolulu Police Commission in May opted to not give Correa a contract extension and decided instead to look for a new chief.

The idea of not donning his police uniform for the first time in almost 40 years brought tears to his eyes.

But Correa would not discuss the commission's decision not to keep him on.

"That's the commission's decision and I accept that decision," he said.

He would rather focus on the future than dwell on the fact the Police Commission opted to go with a new chief, he said.

He did voice his disappointment that he was unable to pass the baton to his successor.

A five-member panel charged with selecting a new chief will not make a decision on Correa's replacement until October.

"I think if you ask any of our former chiefs, they will tell you the more effective, more efficient way to transition would be to keep the current chief in place until the replacement is selected," Correa said.

Deputy Chief Paul Putzulu will serve as acting chief until a new chief is sworn in. Three dozen candidates have applied for the $136,000-a-year job.

"I know we have got quite a few competent leaders within the department who can handle the job," Correa said.

During his tenure as chief, Correa and the department weathered several controversies. In his early days, the FBI conducted investigations of police officers who protected cock-fighting and drug distribution operations.

In 2006, Correa underwent back surgery, was unable to work from his office and ran the department from his home, unbeknownst to the Police Commission.

Yesterday, Correa said the pain from the surgery was "horrendous." But he said that except for the few hours he was under anesthesia, he still made all of the major decisions affecting the police department from home.

"We assembled a great command staff, almost all of whom came in under my supervision," he said. "It was really a strong team. They were there for me and carried on what I wanted to do."

He said his back feels "perfect" now and that he shed 40 to 50 pounds following the surgery.

His list of major accomplishments while in office includes getting the Legislature to pass an assault weapons ban, planning for the "Y2K" start of a new millennium, arranging for security for the Asian Development Bank conference and working in concert with various state and federal agencies to develop homeland security plans following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

ALMOST JOINED FBI

Correa said his experience with police officers when he was a boy sparked his interest in becoming one. "They were always kind to me," he said.

After college, Correa flirted with the idea of playing pro football before opting to join the FBI.

"I was nearly on the plane to Washington, D.C., to meet J. Edgar Hoover when (former Police Chief) Francis Keala called and told me to stay here," Correa said.

Keala would become a friend and mentor to him.

After earning a master's degree, Correa considered leaving the police department to become a children's social worker. But again, Keala talked him out of the idea.

Before becoming chief, Correa had worked in every police district on O'ahu and in every division within the police department, except for finance.

"Overall, the experience has been wonderful, it's been truly enjoyable," he said. "I've been shot at, stabbed at, hit with a shovel, hit with a baseball bat and spit at and I loved every minute of it.

"As chief, I was still attacked, not in a physical sense but through words and innuendo. And remarkably, I still love it."

The toughest times for him were when officers were killed in the line of duty, Correa said.

He said during his years as chief, he found it extremely frustrating not to tell the public all that was known about a certain situation. Privacy laws and collective bargaining agreements often prevented him from saying any more than he did.

Transparency, even when it comes to police discipline, generally bolsters the public's confidence in its police department, Correa said.

"Maintaining our integrity is the No. 1 thing. Without that, you have nothing."