The Hawaii County Police Commission on Thursday unanimously selected Assistant Police Chief Andrew Burian to be the Big Island’s acting chief of police until Honolulu police Maj. Benjamin Moszkowicz is sworn in Jan. 17 as the department’s chief.
Acting Chief Kenneth Bugado Jr. will retire at the close of business today. Bugado, who has served 33 years in the department, was deputy chief for six years in the administration of Paul Ferreira, who retired as chief on Aug. 31.
Prior to being deputy chief, Bugado was the captain of the Criminal Intelligence Unit and the Office of Professional Standards. During his career, he also worked as a patrol officer, a sergeant and detective, and the lieutenant in the Administrative Services Division, where he managed the department’s Accreditation Section.
Burian’s appointment as acting chief is in accordance with the department’s General Order 202, which states that in the absence of a police chief and deputy chief, the assistant chief in charge of the Administrative Bureau “shall perform all the duties of the police chief.”
Burian told the commission he wants Moszkowicz to “feel as though he’s being welcomed here.”
In addition, Burian told the commission that anyone ranked captain or above, if appointed deputy chief, “would take a pay cut to do that.”
“I know it’s not your decision — you would need to encourage the mayor and the Salary Commission,” Burian said. “I just wanted to bring that forward, because I want him to have the best possible deputy chief and somebody who will continue to take us forward.”
Moszkowicz has said he’ll appoint a deputy from within the department.
The pay of police officers up to the rank of lieutenant is determined by collective bargaining with the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, with the ranks of captain to assistant chief receiving percentage steps set by the county above the pay for officers eligible for collective bargaining.
The salaries of the chief and deputy chief are set by the Salary Commission, which hasn’t met since November 2019 because the nine-member commission currently has only four seated members, one short of the requirement for a quorum. The term of one member, Nelson Harano, expires Saturday.
In addition, officers up to the rank of assistant chief can receive overtime pay, while the chief and deputy chief aren’t eligible for overtime.
The mayor appoints members to county boards and commissions, and his office has been seeking members to fill vacancies on several panels, including the Salary Commission.
Moszkowicz will make approximately $50,000 less than the police chiefs in Honolulu and on Maui, who both are paid more than $200,000 a year.
After the commission meeting, Burian told the Tribune-Herald that pay for the top cop and second-in-command needs to be adjusted upwards “so we don’t lose a good chief to a better opportunity elsewhere.”
Burian, a 32-year veteran of the department, has been the assistant chief in charge of the department’s Administrative Services Bureau since February.
Burian’s former assignments were as a police officer in South Hilo and the Area I Criminal Investigation Division; patrol sergeant in Kona; detective in the Area I Criminal Investigation Section and Area I Vice Section; detective in Internal Affairs; lieutenant in Kona, South Hilo and Community Policing; and captain in Ka‘u and Hamakua. He also previously held the post of major in Technical Services Division.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.