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The Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawaii recognized Hawaii County police officers Joshua Flores and Kevin Brodie on Thursday as Officers of the Month for November, and South Hilo Patrol Officer Keith Nacis as Officer of the Month for December.
Flores and Brodie were honored for capturing a wanted suspect who had been evading police. Nacis was recognized for his traffic enforcement efforts.
In September a woman reported that she had been beaten, choked, restrained and threatened by her boyfriend. When she tried to use her phone to call for help, he ripped it out of her hands, police said.
On Oct. 3, Flores and Brodie arrested the suspect after a foot chase from a home in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision in Puna. The two officers were injured as they traversed two barbed wire fences, but continued the pursuit, climbing a chain link fence and running through thick brush until they caught him.
Nacis was honored for his work in traffic enforcement. In October he issued 163 citations that accounted for 256 traffic offenses, including 59 for speeding, 43 for moving violations and 10 for seat belt violations. During the same period, he arrested 13 motorists for driving under the influence.
The exchange club said his presence on the roadways reminds motorists to drive with care and deters drivers from taking risks.
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