Four police officers with Puna Patrol were recently honored as Officer of the Month by the Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawai‘i during a ceremony Thursday, April 28, 2022, at the Hilo Yacht Club in Hilo.
Officer Rodney Delima
A three-year veteran of the department, Officer Rodney Delima was recognized as Officer of the Month for January 2022 for his compassionate de-escalation of a domestic abuse incident involving a person in crisis suffering from mental health issues.
On the evening of January 9, 2022, Officer Delima and other officers responded to a domestic abuse incident in lower Puna involving a husband and wife. Arriving on scene, officers determined that the male suspect was in the bedroom with the door closed. Calling out to the suspect, the officers opened the bedroom door and saw the man in an agitated state sitting on the bed holding two knives to his throat. The man’s behavior became increasingly erratic.
Displaying empathy and using numerous verbal de-escalation techniques, Officer Delima spent 40 minutes talking with the suspect resulting in a peaceful resolution. The suspect was eventually transported to Hilo Medical Center for an emergency evaluation and received the necessary treatment.
Officer Calvin Furtado
With the department for just two-and-a-half years, Officer Calvin Furtado was honored as Officer of the Month for February 2022 for his attention to detail investigating a Puna robbery in which a 2021 Skytrak forklift had been stolen from a quarry.
On February 25, 2022, Officer Furtado responded to the burglary and determined that someone had cut the lock to the gate and removed the forklift, which was owned by an equipment rental company and valued at more than $244,000.
In the course of investigation, Officer Furtado learned that the equipment was trackable by an onboard GPS system and determined that the stolen equipment was at a residence in Leilani Estates. Officer Furtado and other officers responded to the Leilani Estates location and contacted a 46-year-old male suspect who was subsequently arrested for first-degree theft. His bail was set at $25,000.
This is Officer Furtado’s fourth nomination for officer of the Month, and one of many investigations where he has displayed his work ethic, persistence and dedication to duty.
Officers Bryson Miyose and Terrence Scanlan
Community Policing Officers Terrence Scanlan and Bryson Miyose were honored as Officer of the Month for March 2022 for their outstanding proactive police work and restraint shown during the apprehension of a wanted fugitive in Orchidland.
At 10:15 a.m. on January 21, 2022, Officers Scanlan and Miyose were patrolling the area of Orchidland Drive near business establishments when they observed a primer painted sedan with a cracked windshield, dark tinted windows, and no front license plate parked at a gas pump at a gas station/convenience store.
Upon parking their police vehicles to investigate the suspicious car, the male suspect ran from the convenience store, got into his car, and started the engine.
The two officers recognized the suspect as someone who was wanted on an outstanding warrant and was known to be possibly armed and using methamphetamine.
Officers gave clear verbal commands to shut off the vehicle, which the suspect refused, instead revving his engine as Officers Scanlan and Miyose approached.
The suspect accelerated his vehicle forward and then reversed, slamming into both officers’ police vehicles in an attempt to flee the area. Officer Scanlan was thrown backwards from the impact of the suspect’s vehicle striking him in his leg and torso and was able to keep his balance, narrowly avoiding being run over by the suspect.
Officer Miyose had a clear view into the vehicle and deployed his Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) at the suspect in an attempt to neutralize the situation and stop the suspect from fleeing. After Officer Miyose deployed his CEW, the suspect’s girlfriend, who had been hiding in the backseat, sprang up and pulled the CEW wires off the suspect, who then tried to start the vehicle again.
As Officer Miyose distracted the suspect, Officer Scanlan quickly reached into the vehicle and removed the suspect from the car. Once out of the vehicle, the suspect unsuccessfully tried to flee on foot and was arrested. The suspect’s girlfriend was also arrested for interfering with the arrest and an outstanding warrant.
Upon conducting a pat down of the male suspect, officers found a zip lock bag containing 8.5 grams of crystal methamphetamine in his waistband.
The male suspect was ultimately charged with a probation violation, first-degree criminal property damage, two counts of second-degree criminal property damage, first-degree assault of a police officer, resisting an order to stop a motor vehicle, second-degree promoting a dangerous drug, and drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $82,000.
The female suspect was charged with hindering prosecution and criminal contempt of court. Her bail was set at $1,300.
The teamwork of Officers Scanlan and Miyose, along with their experience and assertiveness contributed to the peaceful resolution of a potentially violent and deadly situation.
Every month the Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawai‘i honors a police officer in East Hawaii as their officer of the month. Officers are nominated by their supervisors from the police districts in Area I, including Hāmākua, North Hilo, South Hilo, and Puna, and a winner is selected. All officers selected for Officer of the Month are eligible to be selected as the Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawai‘i Officer of the Year.