Maui Law Enforcement Honored by Toyota Hawai‘i and MADD

Maui police officers were honored by Toyota Hawaiʻi and MADD Hawaiʻi this week for their work in going “above and beyond” the call of duty in their fight against drunk and drugged driving.  A total of seven Maui Police Department officers were recognized, as well as a deputy prosecutor for their exemplary efforts and dedication to stop impaired driving and support victims of this crime.

MADD 2018 Awards: (L-R) Sean Farias (Maui Toyota); Officer Aaron Williams; Officer Mary Rose Reiner; Officer Jason Thompson; Officer James Taylor; Officer Stephen Kelly; Council Member Kelly King; Mayor Chief of Staff Diedre Tegarden; Maui Police Chief, Tivoli Faaumu; Kurt Kendro (MADD); and County Prosecutor Don Guzman.

Honorees were selected by MPD Chief Tivoli Faaumu and Prosecuting Attorney Don Guzman. The Toyota Hawaiʻi and MADD Hawaiʻi Annual Law Enforcement awards were also held on Hawaiʻi and Oʻahu.  Honorees on Maui include the following:

• Officer Jun Hattori: A member of the Vehicle Homicide Unit and former member of the DUI Task Force, Hattori apprehended 25 impaired drivers in 2018, in addition to his other responsibilities.

• Officer Joshua Kalb: A member of the Lahaina Patrol Division, Kalb made 19 OUI arrests, resulting in 14 convictions and assisted in numerous others.  He was trained in Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement in 2014, and since then has applied these skills on countless OUI investigations, all done while assigned to normal patrol duties.

• Officer Stephen Kelly: Selected after an extensive interview process , Kelly is the newest member of the DUI Task Force. In only six months during 2018, he apprehended 80 impaired drivers.

• Officer Mary Rose Reiner

A member of the Wailuku Patrol Division, Reiner has only been with the MPD for three years. She made eight DUI arrests in 2018, and from those arrests also produced one drug case, one endangering the welfare of a minor and multiple no insurance and traffic violations, all made while assigned to her normal patrol duties.

• Officer James Taylor: A veteran officer on the DUI Task Force, Taylor is one of the unit’s most invaluable assets, according to department officials. He attended several weeks of training in 2018 an still apprehended over 105 impaired drivers.

• Officer Jason Thompson: A former School Resource Officer at elementary, middle and high schools, Thompson became a member of the elite DUI Task Force in July 2018 and has already apprehended 40 impaired drivers.

• Officer Aaron Williams: A former paramedic, he can identify impaired drivers often overlooked by others, according to department officials. Williams contributed to the lifesaving efforts of the Maui Police by assisting with Police Recruit DUI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Test training, maintaining an instructor level certification as a drug recognition expert and apprehending over 25 impaired drivers.

“The three officers from the DUI Task Force Unit (Stephen Kelly, Jason Thompson and James Taylor) are assigned to an elite proactive traffic enforcement unit that focuses on saving lives and ultimately putting an end to impaired driving through education and enforcement,” said Chief Faaumu.

“These three officers are responsible for conducting approximately 50% of all DUI arrests in Maui County. All volunteered for this dangerous, but crucial assignment and work five nights a week from 6:30 p.m. to the early morning hours of the following day and also work every holiday – it speaks for their dedication to the safety of our community,” said Chief Faaumu.

• Maui Prosecutor: Deputy Prosecutor Richelle Kawasaki was also recognized.  She has been with the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney since Feb. 16, 2017. “Her commitment towards the prosecution of impaired driving cases is a reflection of her investment in the Maui County community — a community where she was raised and has firmly planted her roots.  A compassionate and respectful prosecutor, Kawasaki is diligent in her duties, regularly working long hours, often on weekends, to assure she has thoroughly reviewed and prepared her cases,” department officials said.

Authorities say preliminary data indicates that the 2018 traffic deaths involving drugs exceeded those involving alcohol by a significant number.

Since 2012, Toyota Hawaiʻi and Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaiʻi (MADD Hawaiʻi) have honored police and prosecutors across the state, recognizing their exemplary efforts in combating drunk or drugged driving. This annual recognition is part of an ongoing MADD Hawaiʻi effort to raise public awareness and lower fatalities.