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Officers’ misconduct detailed: Document submitted to Legislature lists disciplinary actions taken

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Two 91ֱ Police Department officers were fired in 2025, although neither dismissal is final, and an officer fired in 2023 for burglary and assault is seeking to return to the force after a deferred plea acceptance resulted in his conviction being expunged from the record.

Meanwhile, an officer fired in 2024 for allegedly providing confidential information to a civilian regarding an active vice investigation regained his badge, and his discipline was reduced to a 12-day suspension.

That’s according to the department’s annual disciplinary report for 2025 to the state Legislature, which also lists 16 incidents of officers being suspended from duty without pay ranging from a day to 30 days.

“Data from our 2025 report to the Legislature does show a significant decrease in sustained misconduct cases compared with 2024,” Police Chief Reed Mahuna said Thursday in a statement to the Tribune-Herald. “This positive trend reflects our continued emphasis on training, supervision and accountability.

“While even a single incident of misconduct is one too many, I am encouraged by our officers’ commitment to upholding the public’s trust, and we will continue working to improve.”

Police departments statewide are required to submit the annual reports, which describe suspensions and terminations for the prior year. Officers who break the rules are counseled or receive additional training or reprimands before the department resorts to suspensions.

The report is available on the department’s website at hawaiipolice.org.

The officer terminated in 2023 who remains in arbitration is Mark Kaili Jr.

Kaili, then 31, and a 27-year-old acquaintance, Cody Kanahele, were originally charged with first-degree burglary, a Class B felony carrying a potential 10-year prison term, and third-degree assault, a misdemeanor.

The pair entered a Naalehu home, both wearing masks, and assaulted a 20-year-old male cousin of Kanahele. The victim’s grandfather intervened and unmasked Kaili, who was off-duty.

Kanahele pleaded no contest to the charges and was sentenced to 30 days in jail with all but one day — which he had already served — suspended. Kanahele also was granted a deferred acceptance of his plea, which resulted in his conviction being erased from his criminal record.

Kaili’s burglary charge was dropped in return for no contest pleas to the assault charge and misdemeanor trespassing. He also received a 30-day suspended jail sentence, and with a deferred plea acceptance, his conviction was erased on June 27, 2025.

Sgt. Wendall Carter was given a 10-day suspension and fired for allegedly engaging in “conduct that is detrimental to the good order and discipline of the department.” His discipline is being held in abeyance, according to the report. The alleged conduct, which reportedly occurred in 2025, wasn’t specified in the report, and prosecutors weren’t notified.

The Tribune-Herald doesn’t know why his case is on hold.

Officer Troyson Reilly was discharged for allegedly committing an unspecified criminal act in 2024. Prosecutors were notified in his case, although court records don’t indicate he was charged with a criminal offense. A grievance is pending in his case.

The officer whose prior dismissal was overturned and discipline reduced to a 12-day suspension after arbitration was Louie Ondo Jr.

The report contains no incidents of malicious use of force, cowardice or maltreatment of a prisoner, but there is one alleged incident of narcotics use.

Other officers suspended — some who have remained on the list from previous years for incidents with continuing grievances and arbitration — include:

— Officer Jonathan Masutani, 30 days for allegedly failing to comply with a directive issued by his commander in 2025. A grievance is pending.

— Officer Daniel Akina, 30 days for allegedly failing to comply with department policies for discharge of firearm in 2025, final.

— Officer Derek Kenison Jr., 12 days for allegedly failing to comply with report writing procedures in 2025, final.

— Officer Derek Kenison Jr., two days for allegedly failing to comply with report writing procedures in 2025, final.

— Officer Michael Rutkowski, one day for allegedly failing to comply with the department’s motor vehicle pursuit policy in 2025. He’s in arbitration.

— Officer Terrance De Lima Jr., three days for an off-duty violation in 2025 for allegedly failing to exercise the level of caution required to safeguard life and property, final.

— Officer Levi Comilla, seven days for allegedly failing to follow departmental policies and procedures during a traffic investigation in 2024, final.

— Officer Danton Zimmermann, one day for allegedly conducting himself in a manner that brought disrepute to the department in 2024, final.

— Detective Matthew Kaaihue, two days for allegedly failing to comply with evidence procedures in 2023. He’s in arbitration.

— Officer Michael Rutkowski, four days for allegedly failing to comply with report writing procedures in 2023. He’s in arbitration.

— Lt. Paul Kim, two days for allegedly failing to report for duty in 2023 and not notifying his direct superior. He’s in arbitration.

— Officer Lauren Pacheco, 15 days for failing to initiate an appropriate criminal case in 2023. She’s in arbitration.

— Officer Lauren Pacheco, 11 days and a disciplinary transfer for allegedly failing to activate body-worn camera in 2022, violating pursuit policy and being untruthful. She’s in arbitration.

— Officer Levi Comilla, 12 days for allegedly failing to record an entire event in 2022 on body-worn camera, violating pursuit policy and being untruthful. He’s in arbitration.

— Officer Justin Gaspar, three days, after a citizen complained in 2022 that officers forcibly entered her apartment and an officer used foul language. His suspension is being held in abeyance. The Tribune-Herald doesn’t know why.

In addition, former Sgt. William Brown was convicted of perjury — a Class C felony punishable by up to five years imprisonment — and sentenced to four years of probation in June 2025 after a bench trial before Hilo Circuit Judge Peter Kubota.

Brown allegedly presented false testimony before a grand jury in 2023. He is in the process of appealing his conviction.

Brown was suspended for 23 days for the offense, but doesn’t appear on the 2025 discipline report, which indicates he either retired from the department or resigned voluntarily.

And two current officers, Noah Serrao and Blaine Kenolio, face criminal charges for offenses dating to May 2023. The pair allegedly violated an arrestee’s constitutional protections during a search of the individual’s belongings.

Serrao is charged with perjury, false swearing in official matters, and tampering with a government record, while Kenolio is charged with tampering with physical evidence.

Both have pleaded not guilty to the charges and are scheduled for trial June 8 before Hilo Circuit Judge Henry Nakamoto.

Serrao received a 50-day suspension for the incident in 2024, and Kenolio was suspended for 24 days. Two other officers also were suspended for the same incident, with Andrew Springer receiving 16 days and Sheldon Adviento receiving six days.

Neither was charged criminally for the alleged search without a warrant or consent and tampering with evidence.

Since the suspensions were final and charges weren’t lodged by the state attorney general until January this year, none of the four officers appear on the 2025 disciplinary report.

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.