Hilo, Hawaiʻi – Detective Jenny Lee of the Hawaiʻi Police Department was honored with the Haweo Award today during a ceremony held at the Hawaiʻi County Council chambers in Hilo. The award recognizes her exceptional tenacity and skill in conducting multiple complex financial criminal investigations.
A 20-year veteran of the department, Detective Lee has been assigned to the Area I Juvenile Aid Section (JAS) since 2022. During this time, she has also provided support to the Criminal Investigation Section (CIS), handling cases that include felonious theft, identity theft, and computer-related offenses.
One of the most notable cases for which she was recognized began in late 2024. While temporarily assigned to CIS, Detective Lee began investigating two identity theft cases. Her persistent work led her to identify a single suspect, and she was later assigned a third case involving the same individual. The investigation revealed multiple victims, including elderly and vulnerable individuals.
Demonstrating her tireless work ethic, she secured an arrest warrant with 24 charges and later, a second warrant with 45 additional charges, resulting in the suspect being taken into custody with a bail exceeding $200,000. Her investigation uncovered an unusual method of exploitation where the suspect allegedly manipulated a victim’s house phone to maintain unauthorized access to financial accounts.
Detective Lee’s work on the case included authoring eight affidavits and 23 search warrants, and combing through a massive volume of financial records, surveillance footage, and data. In addition to securing the arrest, she identified and arrested two accomplices, obtained search warrants for electronic devices, and initiated a vehicle forfeiture. Her work even led to the department’s IT team acquiring a new high-capacity computer system, which is now in use across the Criminal Investigations Division.
In addition to this major investigation, Detective Lee continued to manage her active JAS caseload and other financial crime assignments, which resulted in three more arrests and multiple charges. Her persistence, precision, and compassionate approach to victims exemplify the mission of the Hawaiʻi Police Department.