Officer Matthew Lewis was honored by the East Hawaii Exchange Club as Officer of the Month for January.
Lewis, a 13-year veteran of the Hawaii Police Department, was praised for his proactive approach to community policing and dedication to duty. Winners are normally honored at the East Hawaii Aloha Exchange Club’s monthly meeting; however, because of the COVID-19 restrictions, no meetings have been conducted since March 2020.
Among the achievements Lewis was honored for include the coordination and planning of a four-day multi-agency warrant sweep of the downtown Hilo area. The warrant sweep resulted in 10 arrests, several stolen items recovered and more than 150 citations issued. A large amount of trash and abandoned property was also removed and several nuisance problems identified along Hilo Bayfront and the soccer fields.
Lewis was also honored for his resourcefulness in investigating and pursuing agricultural thefts. In one situation, he met with farmers at a Hilo area farm to discuss theft prevention tips. Upon leaving the meeting, he encountered a car parked on the side of the road with produce that appeared to be stolen from the farm he just left. Lewis was able to link the driver and a second person to that theft, as well as tie other evidence linking the suspects to additional felony and federal crimes.
All officers selected for Officer of the Month are eligible to be selected as the East Hawaii Aloha Exchange Club’s Officer of the Year.