Aloha Exchange Club Names 2025 Officer, Firefighter of the Year in Hilo

The Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawaiʻi named Puna Patrol Officer Dallas Arce its 2025 Officer of the Year and Hawaiʻi Fire Department Battalion Chief Kaʻāina Keawe its 2025 Firefighter of the Year at a ceremony held Saturday, March 7, in Hilo.

Arce, a five-year veteran of the Hawaiʻi Police Department, earned the distinction after accumulating three Officer of the Month recognitions from the club across 2025, a pace that set him apart from fellow honorees. Battalion Chief Keawe was recognized for outstanding leadership and operational excellence within the Hawaiʻi Fire Department.

The breadth of Arce's 2025 casework drove his selection. In March, he was honored for an investigation that ended with the arrest of a woman charged with 39 criminal property offenses, including 31 Class C felonies and 8 petty misdemeanors. By September, the club recognized him again after he responded to a domestic disturbance that led to the arrest of a violent, intoxicated suspect and the seizure of large quantities of narcotics. His third Officer of the Month came in December, when he investigated a vehicle break-in in Pāhoa by reviewing surveillance footage and coordinating with security personnel before securing a warrant and arranging the suspect's arrest. That same month, he led officers to a long-wanted fugitive hiding beneath a structure on Old Kalapana Road, and days later de-escalated a firearm-involved domestic disturbance in Kurtistown through calm communication, safely detaining the suspect without further incident.

"Officer Arce consistently demonstrates initiative and leadership, whether he is mentoring newer officers or pursuing complex investigations," said Police Chief Reed Mahuna. "He takes ownership of his cases from start to finish and approaches every call for service with professionalism, determination and a strong commitment to protecting our community."

Mayor Kimo Alameda praised both honorees at the ceremony. "I want to sincerely thank Officer Dallas Arce and Battalion Chief Kaʻāina Keawe for their remarkable service to our island," Alameda said. "We are deeply grateful for their commitment to the safety of our residents and the wellbeing of their colleagues."

Keawe was photographed at the ceremony alongside Fire Chief Daniel Volpe, while Arce appeared with Police Chief Mahuna. The club selects its annual honorees in coordination with the HPD and HFD chiefs, as well as the Hawaiʻi County Police and Fire Commissions.

Arce was among three Puna District officers the club honored at a quarterly luncheon in Hilo on January 29. Officer Ashton Gomes received the October 2025 honor for his response to a burglary in progress that ended in two arrests, and Officer Shaneil Azevedo earned the November recognition after she intervened off duty during a dangerous road rage incident and detained an armed suspect. All three were eligible for the annual Officer of the Year award heading into the March ceremony.