Graduation for the Kaua’i Police Department’s largest recruit class was held yesterday at the Kaua’i War Memorial Convention Hall.
By Staff Reports
(Lihue)– Graduation for the 19 members of the Kaua’i Police Department’s 83rd Police Recruit Class was held at the Kaua’i War Memorial Convention Hall.
With the new officers added to its ranks, KPD now has 150 police officers and 57 civilians.
Among those who were honored were the following: Roldan Agbayani; Johnathan Anderson; Orlino Antolin, Jr.; Bill Burns; Michael Burton; Brad Candido; Jonathan Green; Eric Higa; Sky Johnston; Aaron Lester; Kalama Lingaton; Irwin Magayanes; Timothy Meenagh; Avelino Ruvalcaba; Joel Snyder; Creighton Tamagawa; Macy Telles; Bobby Thompson; and Morris Unutoa.
Special awards were also presented to several of the new officers.
Officer Green received two awards – the Physical Fitness Award for having shown the most improvement over the course of the training and the Top Shot Award for demonstrating his proficiency and technical abilities.
Officer Meenagh was the recipient of the Academic Award for scoring the highest on all of the written exams.
The Leadership Award was given to Officer Antolin for his ability to unite the group by providing direction and a sense of purpose.
Acting Lt. Christopher Calio was also recognized for his efforts as the supervisor of the 83rd Recruit Class.
“I would like to thank everyone involved in making this possible especially Mayor Carvalho and the County Council,” said Kaua’i Police Chief Darryl Perry. “By filling our ranks, we will be able to provide the best services possible toward keeping our community safe and free from the fear of crime.”
In his remarks, Managing Director Gary Heu posed a couple of question to the new police services officers. He said, “What choices will you make today, tomorrow … next week? And more importantly, how will those choices you make determine the path of your life’s journey from this point forward?”
One of KPD’s new police services officers Morris Unutoa poses for a picture with his wife Keala. Their son Mo is in the background. Unutoa was a featured speaker at the ceremony.
Councilmember Mel Rapozo, who was also at the graduation, noted, “You will see and do things as police officers that others will never see in their lifetime, and sometimes all within a 24-hour period.”
Other speakers at the ceremony included: Deputy Police Chief Michael Contrades; Acting Assistant Chief Sherwin Perez; Acting Lt. Calio; Police Commission Chair James O’Connor; Clyde Kodani, who represented U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz; Sgt. Tenari Ma‘afala, SHOPO president; and Police Services Officer Morris Unutoa.
KPD Chaplain Thomas Iannucci conducted the invocation.
In order to graduate, the recruits were required to complete approximately six months of classroom and reality-based training.
The next step for the new police services officers is to move into the field training officer phase. Each of the officers will be assigned to a field training officer and will ride alongside his mentor, responding to calls and writing reports.
During this period, the new officers will be evaluated by their mentors, and at the end of the 16-week program, those who satisfy the requirements will be become full-fledged officers.
Anyone interested in finding out about becoming a police officer can go to KPD’s website, www.kauai.gov/police, or call 241-1669.