Hawai‘i Island Police Report: 19 Disciplined, Three Discharged, Two Referred

The Hawai‘i Island Police Department’s 2025 legislative disciplinary report lists 19 officers who faced discipline, with three discharged and two matters referred to the Hawai‘i County Prosecuting Attorney. The report marks a slight decline in sustained misconduct cases from 2024, when 21 officers were disciplined, though multiple cases remain subject to grievance or arbitration.

Police Chief Reed Mahuna said, “Data from our 2025 report to the Legislature does show a significant decrease in sustained misconduct cases compared with 2024. This positive trend reflects our continued emphasis on training, supervision and accountability. While even a single incident of misconduct is one too many, I am encouraged by our officers’ commitment to upholding the public’s trust and we will continue working to improve.” Assistant Chief Sherry Bird cautioned that disciplinary actions can change during the grievance process: “Sometimes the disciplinary actions are amended during the grievance process. Once this process is completed, then he will no longer appear on the annual list.” Interim Chief Rade Vanic added that when an officer violates the law they face the same legal process as any member of the public.

The personnel list released with the report and subsequent public records reporting identify several named actions and their statuses. Officer Jonathan Masutani received a 30-day suspension for allegedly failing to comply with a directive; his grievance is pending. Officer Daniel Akina received a 30-day suspension for an alleged failure to comply with firearm-discharge policy; that discipline is final. Officer Derek Kenison Jr. was assessed two separate suspensions in 2025 - 12 days and 2 days - both listed as final for report-writing failures. Officer Michael Rutkowski faces arbitration over a 1-day suspension for an alleged motor vehicle pursuit policy violation in 2025 and a separate 4-day arbitration matter from 2023 tied to report writing. Detective Matthew Kaaihue is in arbitration over a 2-day penalty for evidence-procedure failures in 2023.

The report and related coverage point to recurring problems: multiple cases involve failure to activate body-worn cameras, untruthfulness, failure to follow pursuit and firearms policies, report- and evidence-handling lapses, and off-duty conduct. Separate reporting identified six officers disciplined in 2025 for failing to activate body cameras and described cases in which camera failures complicated investigations. That reporting also said 19 criminal-conduct investigations were opened in 2025 tied to officers fired in other matters, alleging crimes such as insurance fraud, abuse of household members, theft, tampering with a government record, false reporting, negligent injury and violation of protection orders; those investigative counts and their overlap with internal discipline remain a point for further clarification.

High-profile entries on the annual list include a sergeant whose 10-day suspension and firing are being held in abeyance and an officer identified only as Kaili, whose earlier burglary charge was dropped for no-contest pleas to assault and misdemeanor trespassing and whose conviction was erased on June 27, 2025, after a deferred plea acceptance.

For island residents, the report underscores both ongoing accountability work within HPD and the limits of a single annual snapshot: grievance and arbitration processes can alter outcomes, and some matters are under criminal review. Expect continued reporting as prosecutors and HPD release records and as arbitration decisions are finalized, since those results will determine which names remain on future annual listings and whether any criminal charges are filed.