Hawaii Police Department Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz came within a single vote Friday of losing his job as the Big Island’s top cop at the Hawaii County Police Commission meeting in Hilo.
Moszkowicz, who wasn’t present, submitted his resignation as chief in a June 4 email to commission Chairman Rick Robinson that said his last day on the job would be July 15. Two days earlier, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced that Joe Logan, Honolulu’s police chief, would be retiring and Moszkowicz was Blangiardi’s choice to become Honolulu’s interim chief.
Moszkowicz withdrew his resignation in a second email to Robinson mere hours later. It appeared some members of the Honolulu commission — which later tabbed Honolulu Deputy Chief Rade Vanic for the interim job — and others thought Blangiardi had overstepped his bounds.
According to the Honolulu City Charter, the senior deputy chief of its police department is to become interim chief. Vanic — who also was interim chief before Logan got the permanent job — was chosen from eight candidates. Moszkowicz, a former Honolulu Police Department major who spent 22 years on Oahu’s force, was one of them.
In addition to the resignation, Moszkowicz sent a message to Hawaii Police Department employees that said, in part: “It is an honor to be considered by Mayor Blangiardi for the position as interim chief of the Honolulu Police Department. I have submitted a letter of interest and my resume to the Honolulu Police Commission. … I remain focused on leading the women and men of the Hawaii Police Department.”
Two roll-call votes were taken Friday. The first was to reject Moszkowicz’s resignation withdrawal. Five “yes” votes were needed, and the vote was 4-3, with commissioners Jacob Tavares, Greg Yamada, Lloyd Enriques and Wendy Botelho voting to reject Moszkowicz’s withdrawal of resignation. The three “no” votes came from Robinson, Vice Chairman John Bertsch and Commissioner Arthur Buckman.
Commissioner Eileen Lacerte was absent from the meeting.
The second vote, to hold a special meeting of the commission prior to July 15, was approved by a unanimous 7-0 vote. The meeting’s purpose is to allow Moszkowicz — who was on Kauai on family matters — to have his chance to answer what Bertsch said would be “tough questions” from commissioners before they make any decisions.
Moszkowicz noted “a family commitment on Kauai” was why he was absent at Friday’s meeting.
“I understand there was some discussion at the meeting about my future as the chief of the Hawaii Police Department, and I am thankful for the opportunity to talk to the commissioners in a special session to explain everything that has happened and answer questions in person,” Moszkowicz said.
Calling Blangiardi “a charge-ahead kind of guy,” Robinson said the Honolulu mayor “may have gotten a little ahead of himself in making any promises to Chief Ben.”
“Chief Ben is still our chief for now,” Robinson said.
The only testifier Friday about Moszkowicz’s future was Detective Jenny Lee of the East Hawaii Juvenile Aid Section, a 20-year HPD veteran.
Testifying in plainclothes, Lee called Moszkowicz’s resignation “a clear message that his desire to be police chief of Honolulu outweighs his desire to keep his present position here as the police chief of the Hawaii Police Department.”
“It’s hard to believe Police Chief Moszkowicz, who had applied and gone through the selection process once already for the position of chief of police of Honolulu, didn’t know he had to be selected by the Honolulu Police Commission,” Lee said. “It’s more plausible that he thought the rules did not apply to him … .”
Lee urged the commission to “look for a new police chief who wants to serve the people of Hawaii County.”
“We deserve a better police chief, one who is committed to be here rather than one who’s waiting for a better opportunity to serve himself,” she said.
Bertsch called the situation “very complicated,” saying he watched the Honolulu Police Commission interviewing interim chief candidates.
“And I did hear Chief Moszkowicz state that ‘if I’m selected as the interim chief, I would apply to stay on as the permanent chief,’” Bertsch said. “I think the question this commission needs to understand is, since he wasn’t selected, what are his intentions today? And I think, quite frankly … we need to hear from the chief.
“I’m disappointed that he wasn’t here at this meeting today. I realize he’s got … family commitments — and full transparency, before any of this came up, he actually notified us that he wouldn’t be at this meeting. … But I think, out of due respect for the position of chief of police and for his previous commitment to the department, that we should allow him to be heard. … And I think it should be done in the open. I don’t think it should be done in executive session.”
Tavares, who initiated the vote to reject Moszkowicz’s resignation withdrawal, said he thinks the chief “has done an outstanding job.”
“I recognize and respect any individual’s right to pursue professional opportunities,” Tavares said. “But I also believe that our role as commissioners requires us to ensure continuity, stability and commitment to Hawaii County, not Honolulu County.”
According to Tavares, Moszkowicz’s “recent actions have created a significant distraction for the department.”
“I think it raises valid questions about the chief’s long-term intentions and his level of commitment to our department, officers and this community. I believe the public deserves clarity, and welcome any additional discussion that we have around this particular matter.”
Tavares added the department’s officers and civilian employees “deserve strong, focused leadership to navigate them effectively.”
“The chief of police for Hawaii County is not a stepping-stone position,” he said. “My intent here is not to criticize … but to uphold our responsibility of Hawaii Island’s public trust and the future of this department.”
Botelho said it’s a matter of character, which she defined as “what we’re doing when nobody is looking.”
“Well, there was something that was going on here when nobody was looking,” Botelho said. “It’s obvious, because there was discussions going on with another county, which I did not know about as a commissioner, and I’m sure others didn’t know, as well.”
She asked, rhetorically, what message the situation sends to those under Moszkowicz’s leadership.
“I’m not in a good place with this,” she concluded.
Moszkowicz took a pay cut to leave Honolulu for his current post. He received an almost $44,000 raise last year in two increments, to make his yearly salary $197,052.
The Honolulu Salary Commission on April 23 sent a memo to Blangiardi and the Honolulu City Council proposing its police chief receive a raise on July 1 from $239,964 to $249,576.
Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda said his administration respects “the commission’s role and the thoughtful processes it follows” in its oversight of the chief.
“Public safety is a top priority for our administration and that requires strong commitments from leadership at every level,” Alameda said. “Recent developments have understandably led to some uncertainty within the police department. It is essential that those concerns are addressed so that the department can continue serving our county to the best of its ability.”
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.