STAR-ADVERTISER PHOTOS
Cary Okimoto, left, retired Tuesday after acting as the Honolulu Police Department chief for nearly a year. Susan Ballard, right, takes over as Oahu’s new police chief, with 32 years of experience.
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All hail the chief — Oahu’s new police chief, that is — and that now would be Susan Ballard. Ballard was to be sworn in this morning as the Honolulu Police Department’s 11th chief after being picked last week; hopes are high for an HPD of top integrity and public safety under Ballard, a 32-year HPD veteran who has led five of its divisions since 2001.
An aloha salute also goes out to Cary Okimoto, who retired Tuesday after nearly a year as acting HPD chief. Okimoto was able to keep a steady hand at the helm after ex-Chief Louis Kealoha departed under a criminal cloud. A tumultuous year for HPD, for sure.
144 complimentary text messages, or else
You have to wonder whether this particular man might have preferred additional jail time to the sentence he got.
After a conviction for violating a protective court order by writing 144 “nasty” text messages to his ex-girlfriend, Daren Young was sentenced by Maui Circuit Judge Rhonda Loo to pen the same number of messages, but complimenting her. His jail time was commuted to the 157 days served.
Whatever her rationale, compliments to the judge for this idea.