Parole chief back at job after investigation

Longtime Paroles and Pardons Administrator Tommy Johnson has returned to his old job after being temporarily reassigned for nearly six months during an internal investigation by the state Department of Public Safety.

Johnson, who formerly served as deputy director of the Department of Public Safety for corrections, was reassigned to the department’s Training and Staff Development office March 6 during the investigation but resumed his regular duties Aug. 28, according to a Public Safety spokeswoman.

Department of Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda said earlier this year Johnson was reassigned temporarily at the request of Hawaii Paroling Authority Chairman Edmund “Fred” Hyun, who became chairman Aug. 1, 2016.

A spokeswoman for the department declined to provide any details of the investigation, the outcome of the inquiry or whether any disciplinary action was taken.

Describing the outcome of the investigation, Johnson’s lawyer Eric Seitz said there was no written finding, “but basically, it was a minor disposition of a disagreement over the use of a cellphone, that’s all it was.”

He added, “I don’t want to go into details because it’s a personnel action, which is confidential.”

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Aug. 6 reported Johnson had been reassigned during the investigation, and also reported there was friction between Johnson and Hyun in part because of questions about Johnson’s use of overtime. Johnson and Seitz both said the investigation had nothing to do with overtime.

The day after publication of that news article, Seitz wrote to First Deputy Attorney General Russell Suzuki citing the article and asking that his office open a criminal investigation “to obtain the identities and prosecute the DPS employees or other sources of any confidential personnel information pertaining to Mr. Johnson.”

The letter also asked that the Attorney General’s Office issue a public statement to the effect that “Mr. Johnson is not under investigation for allegations regarding wrongful use of overtime or other financial improprieties.” Seitz’s letter also asked that Espinda and Hyun be removed from any participation in the investigation of Johnson.

Seitz said Monday he has been told by a representative of the Attorney General’s Office there will be no criminal investigation.

“I’m trying to correct the impression that he was under investigation for some kind of misuse of overtime, which was never true, and I also want to express my dismay that somebody in state government provided that information, which was against the law,” Seitz said Monday.