The Department of Public Safety (PSD) today held a pinning ceremony to announce Lieutenant Lanikoa “Koa” Dobrowolsky’s promotion to First Deputy of the Sheriff Division.

The First Deputy is second in command of the Sheriff Division, answers directly to the State Sheriff and is responsible for assisting the Sheriff in planning, directing, and coordinating the activities of the Sheriff Division as well as the activities of the Deputy Sheriffs engaged in providing law enforcement services for the State of Hawaii.

“Over the past 27 years, Koa has risen up through the ranks of the Sheriff Division. He is a dedicated and experienced law enforcement and military leader, but most importantly, his heart is in the Division,” said PSD Deputy Director Jordan Lowe. “I am confident he will provide effective leadership and accountability and will ensure that the division operates efficiently.”

Lt. Dobrowolsky most recently served, from 2011 to present, as the Commander of the Sheriffs Special Operations Unit supervising the Fugitive Apprehension Unit, Canine Unit and the Sheriff Rapid Enforcement and Counter Threat Team (REACT). His responsibilities included developing complex tactical and operational plans involving coordination with multiple federal, state and county agencies, and supervising the response to critical/high risk operations and special events for the state.

He began his career in the Sheriff Division in 1994 as a deputy sheriff, tasked with various law enforcement assignments including criminal investigations, fugitive apprehension, and patrol operations. In 1998, he was promoted to sergeant and worked patrol, ran the District Court cellblock and the booking and receiving desk. And from 2000 to 2011 he was as the lead instructor Sergeant for PSD’s Law Enforcement Training Academy where he was responsible for the review of past training protocols and updating deputy sheriff recruit training

Lt. Dobrowolsky also has a lengthy 28-year military career with the U.S. Army. He currently serves as a First Sergeant in the U.S. Army’s B Company, 301^st Military Intelligence, responsible for the welfare, training, readiness, and the overall mission success of the expeditionary ready force, and supervises operations conducted by intelligence analysts, cyber and signal intelligence, counter-intelligence special agents, and human intelligence operators.

Lt. Dobrowolsky is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and Department of Defense, Counter-Intelligence Special Agent Academy.

The previous Sheriff Division First Deputy Reid Ogata retired at the end of December 2020.