2026-01-30 Police Commission Regular Minutes

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Hawaii Police Commission Regular Session Minutes January 30, 2026 Page 4 Assistant Chief Sherry Bird, 28 years with the Hawaii Police Department, spoke in strong support of Interim Chief Reed Mahuna. She emphasized the importance of integrity, transparency, accountability, fairness, consistency, ethical leadership, clear communication, and community collaboration, and stated that Interim Chief Mahuna not only possesses these values but practices them daily. She cited his compassion, including visiting staff in the hospital and attending services for long-retired officers, as well as his personal interventions in situations where employees facing personal issues had submitted resignations. Instead of simply accepting these resignations, she said, he thoroughly reviewed each situation, identified possible options, and worked with employees so they could resolve their issues and remain with the department, preventing short-term problems from becoming long-term staffing shortages. She stated that Interim Chief Mahuna has strong institutional, departmental, community, and governmental knowledge and is a progressive, visionary leader who demonstrates humility and civility. For these reasons, she expressed her support for his appointment as permanent Chief of Police. Patti Cook thanked the Commission for its work and praised both the quality of the eight candidates and the interview process. She stated that she supports Interim Chief Mahuna for the Chief position but also expressed appreciation for the talents of all the candidates, echoing prior testimony that she hopes they remain engaged in the community. She observed that the world is changing rapidly and that events across the country, as well as locally, are changing the way public safety and policing must be approached. She said she trusts that under Chief Mahuna's leadership, the department, its employees, and the community will be safer. Ms. Cook described ongoing efforts at the Hawaii State Legislature to advance bills related to safe spaces (for schools, churches, health care institutions, and courts), limitations on certain immigration enforcement roles, and "no secret police," and noted that Hawaii County is the only county whose council has formally supported those measures. She concluded that in this changing environment, she trusts Chief Mahuna to maintain and grow community trust and thanked the Commission for its work on what she called the most significant decision it will make in its role. Sherry Bracken, Kona resident since 1994; long-time community volunteer; former radio news reporter for Hawaii Public Radio and host of a local interview program, spoke from a community perspective in support of Interim Chief Mahuna. She referenced her adopted dog, rescued following a fentanyl-related raid by Vice, as one example of the department's work. Drawing on her years of interaction with police personnel in her reporting role, she said she appreciates that Interim Chief Mahuna actively engages with the community and remains accessible even after her retirement from news work, noting that she can reach him on his personal cell phone and that he responds promptly. She stated that, in addition to the strong support expressed by officers, his outreach to and availability for the public is unique and important, especially in a time of