New lead police boat to patrol two Oahu harbors
Kahu Wendell Davis on Wednesday blessed the Kiaiawa, a 27-foot aluminum-hull boat. The vessel will be the new lead boat in monitoring both Honolulu and Kalaeloa Barbers Point harbors, state transportation officials said.
State transportation officials Wednesday dedicated a new lead harbor police patrol boat in Honolulu Harbor.
The new 27-foot, aluminum-hull vessel was christened Kiaiawa, meaning “harbor guardian” and will patrol both Honolulu Harbor and Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor, according to a state Department of Transportation news release.
It will replace the Moku Makai, a 21-foot Boston Whaler, which served 15 years as the primary Honolulu Harbor Police vessel.
“Security of our harbors is critical to our island state and the Kia’iawa will give our Harbor Police increased mobility and better tools to protect our ports,” DOT Director Glenn Okimoto said in a statement issued Wednesday.
The new boat cost about $390,000 and was fully funded by a federal grant, according to the DOT release. It will feature upgraded equipment, including better radar, GPS and depth-finding devices, the release stated.
