Maui police Sgt. Kaena Brown is awarded “Hawaiʻi Instructor of the Year” from L.E.A.D. anti-drug/anti-violence program

Maui Police Department Sgt. Kaena Brown was recognized as the “Hawaiʻi Instructor of the Year,” an award issued by L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence), a nationwide nonprofit that works with communities to help students understand the dangers of drugs and violence.

Sgt. Brown was presented with the award at L.E.A.D.’s ninth annual 21st Century Drug and Violence Prevention Training Conference in Orlando, Florida. The award recognizes her work in educating students on the harms of drugs and violence and strengthening the relationship between police officers and the Maui community. 

“Sgt. Brown’s award is well deserved. We congratulate her on an outstanding job helping to protect students from the dangers of drugs and violence,” said Nick DeMauro, CEO of L.E.A.D. “Her dedication towards teaching children in Maui County about the importance of drug and violence prevention is helping us to continue accomplishing our goal of strengthening police-community relationships.”

L.E.A.D. provides services on the street and in the classroom setting. The classroom programs are taught by more than 5,000 trained instructors in 45 states, who are serving more than 500,000 students in 2,500 school systems.

The L.E.A.D. curriculum is taught over the course of a 10-week program to educate youth on how they can make smart decisions without the involvement of drugs or violence.

Despite the several challenges that Maui County faced in 2023, 95 students in the fourth grade at Waiheʻe Elementary School were taught the L.E.A.D. curriculum last school year.

“Without the support of Paula Inouye, principal at Waiheʻe Elementary School, as well as John Pelletier, chief of police at Maui Police Department, and his administration, the success of the L.E.A.D. implementation in Maui County wouldn’t have been possible,” according to a L.E.A.D. announcement.

Sgt. Brown says that teaching the program to the fourth graders has been the best stop in her career by far.

“In our jobs, we respond to calls, usually after something bad has happened or if someone has been a victim of a crime, and we try to help them. It’s reactive at that point,” she said. “We value the L.E.A.D. program because it allows us to go into the classroom and take a proactive approach to try and prevent the bad from occurring. The curriculum is so vital for children that it doesn’t even feel like a job when I’m teaching it to them. It’s a privilege and an honor to be able to touch the lives of students at a young age.”

“Even though police officers are just normal people like anybody else, which kids sometimes have a hard time understanding, we’re shown in a more human light when we instruct the kids in the classroom,” said Brown.

“By the end of the 10 weeks, the students have a full toolbelt that they can take from when they’re faced with making difficult decisions and will be beneficial throughout the rest of their school careers and beyond,” said Brown.