Prosecuting attorney reviewing Ala Moana police shooting

The prosecuting attorney’s office is investigating Monday night’s shooting of a homeless man with a knife who allegedly ran at Honolulu police officers near Ala Moana Center.

Special Counsel to the Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Dvonch confirmed the office is conducting an independent investigation of the shooting of the 48-year-old man and declined further comment, citing the ongoing inquiry.

Honolulu Police Department interim Chief Rade Vanic briefed Honolulu police commissioners about the shooting Wednesday. Vanic told commissioners that an investigation by HPD’s Professional Standards Office is ongoing in addition to the prosecutor’s inquiry. The PSO will determine if the officers committed criminal or administrative violations during the incident.

The man shot by police remains hospitalized and has not been arrested. An arrest warrant charging the man with three counts of attempted murder is being prepared, Vanic told commissioners.

In response to a question about the status of prosecutors looking into the case from Commissioner Doug Chin, Vanic explained that HPD starts cooperating with the prosecutor’s investigations shortly after police shootings occur. Evidence is turned over as it is gathered by police and requested by investigators with the prosecuting attorney’s office, Vanic said.

“Sometimes when people hear these initial reports from the Police Department they want to know … is there a separate agency looking at it and how are they doing it,” said Chin during the meeting.

At the conclusion of HPD’s investigation, a complete package of evidence will be sent over to prosecutors with the department’s conclusions.

Chin lauded Vanic’s measured handling of the incident, saying that in the past HPD had come out too strong during the initial news conference after police shootings, leaving the unintended public impression that the police version of events was not to be challenged.

“I appreciate the effort to just report the facts, be neutral in tone, and let the public know … these are the initial findings and there is more being done in order to make sure this is properly investigated,” Chin told Vanic.

Commissioner Ann Botticelli asked Vanic about the support officers received after the “traumatic” event. Vanic said representatives from the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers and HPD’s Peer Support Unit responded to the scene to help the officers who shot the man. The department’s chaplain is also available as are support serv­ices following the shooting.

The two officers, who have one and two years of service with HPD, must undergo a psychological evaluation and be cleared by HPD’s psychologist before they are allowed to return to duty.

Also Wednesday, Honolulu police commissioners received a letter written on behalf of about 100 current and former police officers outlining the qualities they would like to see in the department’s 12th chief.

The note, authored by retired HPD Lt. Alexander Garcia, was sent to PSI Services LLC, the private consultant contracted Dec. 10 to complete the “Examination and Assessment of Psychological Competency and Other Characteristics for the Selection of Chief of Police” for $145,777.50.

The company intends to utilize an assessment center­-type forum to select the finalists, according to the police commission, and there will be no release of the names of the finalists until after the assessment center process has been completed.

The letter was written in response to a Jan. 12 police commission presentation about how the selection process would include feedback from more than 25 community stakeholders.

Garcia reached out to about 100 active and retired officers, ranging in rank from officer to major, including retirees who served “as far back as the late 1960s,” according to a copy of the letter obtained by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Those who responded represent between 500 and 700 years of combined serv­ice and were asked to identify the qualities the next police chief should have that the consultant and police commissioners should consider. The letter makes 11 recommendations.

“Transparency in the prompt and factual reporting of major incidents to the public and the decision-making process within the department,” a “willingness to review and revamp the promotion process to ensure promotions are based on merit and not favoritism,” “receptiveness to the reorganization of the department’s bureaucracy where needed,” and “adherence to the community’s needs, without sacrificing the department’s integrity for political expediency” were among the qualities the next chief should possess, according to the letter.