Arthur “Joe” Logan pledged to make changes to the embattled Honolulu Police Department as he was sworn in this morning as the 12th police chief along with his two deputy chiefs during a public ceremony before a crowd at the Mission Memorial Auditorium.

“Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time,” said Logan, who quoted the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died in September 2020. “And while this sounds as though it may be somewhat slower than what you the community, our Police Commission and the Honolulu Police Department want change to happen. It is my goal to create real change and enduring change. While increasing the step, one step at a time, from a walk to a full run as quickly as possible.”

As the new police chief, Logan faces the challenges of restoring public trust in HPD following the indictment and imprisonment of disgraced former Chief Louis Kealoha, extortion allegations of two SHOPO leaders, the department’s mismanagement of overtime for officers, filling numerous vacancies, and tackling the spike in crime amid inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I will continue running and picking up the pace over the next four years, 11 months, and 349 days, but who is counting?” Logan said. “Really, you all are counting, because you all are going to hold me accountable to that five years.”

Retired HPD Maj. Keith K. Horikawa and former interim Chief Rade Vanic will serve as Logan’s deputy chiefs. They were all previously sworn in during an unannounced, private ceremony at the Alapai headquarters that frustrated some city officials and the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers. Logan defended the move earlier this month to allow him to start working.

First Circuit Court Judge Edward Kubo, Jr., Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Honolulu Police Commission Chairperson Shannon Alivado, Kauai Police Chief Todd Raybuck, retired HPD Chief Lee Donahue and SHOPO representatives were among those in attendance at today’s ceremony.

Blangiardi congratulated the trio for taking on HPD leadership roles and the challenge of protecting the island of Oahu.

“We have a lot of work to do,” Blangiardi said. “It’s not an easy job, we all know, and we are here to help you and will help you. I’m just happy for the City and County of Honolulu.”

Kubo administered the oath of office, and selected family members pinned the rank and badge on the uniforms of Logan, Horikawa and Vanic. Logan picked two of his sons to pin the rank on his uniform, while his wife attached the badge.

“This position that Chief Logan has graciously taken on is not an easy task — I can tell you firsthand — but it is a very, very important role,” said Vanic, who served as interim chief following the retirement of HPD Chief Susan Ballard June 1 after a critical review by the Honolulu Police Commission. “… The police department cannot do this alone. It really takes all of us working together to be able to keep Honolulu safe.”

The Honolulu Police Commission unanimously voted on May 23 to select Logan as HPD’s top leader over three other finalists: HPD Maj. Mike Lambert, head of the department’s Ke Kula Makai Training Division; HPD Maj. Ben Moszkowicz, who runs the department’s Traffic Division; and retired New Jersey State Police Lt. Col. Scott Ebner.

“Chief Logan, as Honolulu’s 12th police chief, you have a tremendous opportunity to build strong relationships within the department and within our communities,” Alivado said.

Logan previously served 20 years with HPD before retiring. He also worked as a criminal investigator with the state Attorney General’s Office and director of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and adjutant general of the Hawaii National Guard.

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