Former Honolulu Police Chief Lee D. Donohue died this morning at Straub Medical Center following an extended illness. He was 80 years old.

HPD Chief Joe Logan announced Donohue’s death this afternoon in a statement, “On behalf of the officers and civilian employees of the Honolulu Police Department, I extend our deepest condolences and sympathy to the Donohue family. Chief Donohue was known as a cop’s cop and for being a strong, decisive leader. After serving the department for 40 years, he continued serving the public through many community organizations. We will miss him and are blessed to have had a very wonderful and passionate Chief.”

Donohue joined HPD in 1964 and worked his way up the ranks to become HPD’s eighth chief of police, a role that he occupied from 1998 to 2004.

The HPD website said Donohue is credited with “guiding the department into the 21st century.”

HPD said the department during Donohue’s administration was awarded national accreditation. HPD said he “replaced the department’s outdated radio system, expanded community policing, and acquired bullet-resistant vests and automated external defibrillators.”

Donohue also is credited by HPD with improving hiring and retention efforts to bring the shortage of Honolulu officers during his time to an unprecedented low.

“In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, Chief Donohue provided a calm, steady hand as police across the nation shifted focus to anti-terrorism and heightened national security,” HPD said.

HPD said Donohue worked with thousands of at-risk youths through Kick Start Karate, an organization that he co-founded to teach martial arts and life skills. He also established the Honolulu Police Community Foundation, which promotes positive community-police relations and provides financial support to the HPD. Donohue also was a longtime board member of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, which helps visitors in crisis.