‘Blue Ohana’ commemorates fallen officers

The late afternoon sun bathed Kapiolani Park in warm golden light on Wednesday as a quiet, multigenerational group of about 50 Honolulu Police Department members and their families gathered near Paki Hale to commemorate two officers on the anniversary of their deaths.

Many wore black short-sleeved shirts and T-shirts that said “Blue Ohana” and displayed photographs and the names of the fallen.

A half-mile away, on the morning of Jan. 19, 2019, officers Tiffany Enriquez, 38, and Kaulike Kalama, 34, were ambushed and fatally shot by Jaroslav “Jerry” Hanel, 69, as they responded to emergency calls about his violent assault on his landlady, Lois Cain, 77, at 3015 Hibiscus Drive.

On this grim anniversary, sadness and shock were visible on many faces, but their eyes also shone with love and pride for the departed, and the comfort of one another’s presence could be seen in their respectful but relaxed postures.

Even the young children, while clearly happy to be outdoors, seemed subdued, reflecting the general mood.

“This is a family thing,” said Corp. Mei King of District 6 Waikiki, which encompasses Hibiscus Drive.

“A lot of these officers were there that day and helped carry Tiff out,” she said.

Maj. Randall Platt, also of District 6, opened the ceremony with a few words.

“We wanted to make sure to honor and remember the service of Tiffany, who was from District 6, and KK, who was from District 7. He didn’t have to come over when he heard the call, but he did,” Platt said, adding, “We’re also here to remind the public that our service (sometimes) comes at a great cost.”

Police Chaplain Annie Abbott­-Foerster led the gathering in prayer.

Then, inviting everyone to join in a commemorative walk around the 1.7-mile circumference of the park, she asked them to envision as they walked that “each step we take around the park is a step forward.”

It was an emotional anniversary for the bereaved, Sgt. Scott Nakasone said, and some family members were “taking it really hard today and not able to make it, but they asked me to thank everybody.”

With that, a tall youth was asked to pick up the flag and lead the walk, and everyone followed at a reflective pace.