Honolulu Police Commission pays respects to slain officers
BRUCE ASATO / basato@staradvertiser.com
Honolulu Chief of Police Susan Ballard stops to compose herself during a news conference at Honolulu Police Department headquarters Sunday evening to discuss the fatal shooting of two officers.
The Honolulu Police Commission paid respects to the two police officers killed on Sunday during the group’s biweekly meeting.
Newly elected commission chairwoman Shannon Alivado and vice chairman Jerry Gibson began the afternoon meeting by acknowledging the deaths of Tiffany Enriquez, 38, and Kaulike Kalama, 34, who were killed while on duty in the shooting near Diamond Head.
“Officer Kalama is described by loved ones as an athlete, outgoing and a great officer,” Gibson said. “Let us not forget officer Kalama and the ultimate sacrifice he made on our behalf.”
“Mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, bodybuilder and hero — Tiffany-Victoria Enriquez was part of the 172nd recruit class, and entered the department in 2012, nearly eight years ago,” Alivado said.
Enriquez was one of 32 graduates and one of four women in her class; Kalama graduated with the Honolulu Police Department’s 168th recruit class, which had 24 recruits and graduated in 2011, Gibson said.
Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard was present during the meeting, and said she met with Enriquez’ family.
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“Tiffany’s family came to talk today — I had a chance to talk with the daughters,” Ballard said. “Amazing job she did raising those daughters. … They actually talked to the officers who were at the scene who were with their mother.”
Enriquez had three daughters: Teiya, 22, Jazzy, 17, and Triniti, 11.
Commissioner Carrie Okinaga embraced Ballard before the start of the meeting. Ballard had described the slain officers as being “like my kids” after announcing their deaths at a news conference Sunday.
The fire that followed the fatal shootings destroyed or damaged about 12 homes on Hibiscus Drive. The suspected shooter, 69-year-old Jerry Hanel, and his landlord, 77-year-old Lois Cain, are presumed dead and two sets of human remains were found Tuesday at 3015 Hibiscus Drive. The positive identification of the bodies is pending.
Ballard said the funeral services for both Enriquez and Kalama have not been set.
Ballard thanked a number of departments and groups for providing support during the aftermath of the shootings and fire, including the Honolulu Fire Department for assisting in sifting through the homes’ ashes looking for remains, and Gov. David Ige for acknowledging the death of the officers during Tuesday’s State of the State address.
