Honolulu police Chief Louis Kealoha on Wednesday dismissed a recommendation issued by four state senators that calls for assembling a team of co-chiefs to run the department.

"I don’t need any help," Kealoha told reporters at the Honolulu Police Department. "My performance has not waxed or waned in light of this personal challenge."

Kealoha made the comments after the Honolulu Police Commission discussed, in executive session, a letter from the senators recommending co-chiefs as a means to "rebuild trust and confidence in our police department."

The letter was signed by Sens. Will Espero, Rosalyn Baker, Breene Harimoto and Russell Ruderman.

"Constituents and other residents have expressed their concerns to us regarding the chief, and we feel a co-team of senior officers involved in the oversight of HPD is a proper course to take at this time," the letter said.

Espero said he came up with the recommendation during discussions regarding several recent negative incidents involving police officers, including one in which Kealoha’s testimony touched off a mistrial last month in a federal case involving the theft of his residential mailbox.

"This was an attempt to make a suggestion to the commission that maybe they hadn’t thought of," Espero said. "It could improve the public perception and the loss of trust that has happened in the last year or two and at the same time assist the chief."

Espero (D, Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point) said one of Kealoha’s deputy chiefs could be named co-chief.

"I’m not suggesting that (Kealoha) step aside," Espero said. "It would be like a co-chair. I would think it wouldn’t hurt, and I believe it could help the chief."

He said if the commission accepts the recommendation, it would not mean a lack of confidence in the chief.

"In life and in work, we all need help at one point or another," he said. "This is not saying that the chief is not able, but given the current unique situation … this could be a viable suggestion."

Kealoha said the mailbox case is a "minor distraction in my personal life" and has not affected his ability to lead the department.

"My performance as your police chief has not been compromised," he said. "I’ve been coming to work every day and doing my job."

He said the police department has had success in many areas, such as coming in under budget and reducing home burglaries every year.

"From the beginning of this case, I always said that this was a personal matter," he said. "I don’t know of anyone that doesn’t have personal challenges in their lives, but I can tell you that I am no different. I’m actually a victim of a crime."

Kealoha was a witness in a jury trial on Dec. 4 when he commented on the criminal history of the defendant, Gerard Puana, the uncle of Kealoha’s wife, Deputy Prosecutor Katherine Kealoha. His unsolicited comments prompted the judge to declare a mistrial, and federal prosecutors later requested the charges be dropped.

The judge dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning charges cannot be refiled, and prosecutors referred the case to the FBI.

Federal Public Defender Alexander Silvert alleged the case would have shown there was police misconduct, and also suggested Kealoha caused a mistrial to help in a related civil case Puana brought against Kealoha’s wife that accused her of stealing family money.

Kealoha said lawmakers who believe he cannot handle the stress of his job and his personal issues are mistaken.

"We go through stress every day," he said. "I’m a police officer. We have 2,000 police officers who work just as hard, and who are not only under this amount of stress, but a lot of times more stress than what I endure. So obviously, they might not understand police work and police officers."

When asked about whether his personal issues are eroding the public’s trust in the department, he said he cannot control what people think.

"I can tell you what’s important here," he said. "It’s a personal matter and when this is completed, I’m going to do several things. Number one, I’m going to speak about it away from the police department.

"I’m not going to be under the color of my authority as the police chief," he continued. "We can go into detail."

Honolulu Police Commission Chairman Ron Taketa reserved comment until after the lawmakers receive a response from the commission in writing in about two weeks.

"We appreciate the letter and the intent of it," Taketa said. "I don’t think it changes anything, but again I think I would wait until the senator receives our response before commenting."

He added that the police department is running well.

"I don’t think any of this distraction has affected the chief’s performance at all," he said.