Maui Police Department promotes 12 to rank of Sergeant

The Maui Police Department announced the recent promotions of 12 officers to the rank of Sergeant, which took effect Aug. 1, 2024. The promotions include: Wilfred Ahuna, Kenneth Carroll, Kunal Chopra, Daniel Devine, David Jakubczak, Erik Matsuo, Alika Mullen, Kawika Ornellas, Alvin Ota, Jeffrey Platt, Corey Tom and Nolan Wada.

Sergeant Wilfred Ahuna joined the department in 2008, where he began his career as a Police Officer I in the Kīhei Patrol District, followed by a transfer to the Lānaʻi Patrol District in 2010, where he served for one year.

From 2011 to 2017, Sergeant Ahuna served in the Wailuku Patrol District until transferring to his most recent assignment in the Vice Narcotics Division in 2017.

Sergeant Kenneth Carroll joined the department in 2004, where he began his career as a Police Officer I in the Wailuku Patrol District, followed by a transfer to the Hāna Patrol District. Upon his return from Hāna, he worked briefly in Kīhei and then shortly after in Wailuku Patrol, where he served as a Field Training Officer. In 2010, he was transferred to the Vice Narcotics Division.

Other assignments included Lahaina Patrol District and the Plans, Training, Research, and Development Section, with his most recent assignment in the Lahaina Patrol District, where he served as a Visitor Oriented Police Officer.

Sergeant Carroll has served as an active member of the Special Response Team since 2007 and is an instructor in various disciplines, including Firearms, Arrest and Defense Tactics, Emergency Vehicle Operator Course, and officer safety and survival.

Sergeant Kunal Chopra joined the department in 2010, where he began his career as a Police Officer I in the Wailuku Patrol District, followed by a transfer to the Lānaʻi Patrol District, where he served for three years. Upon his return from Lānaʻi, he worked briefly in the Wailuku Patrol District, followed by a one-year assignment in the Kīhei Patrol District.

Other assignments included the Traffic Division’s OUI Task Force and Lahaina Patrol District, where he served for five years before transferring to the Kīhei Patrol District in 2023.

Sergeant Daniel Devine joined the department in 2006, where he began his career as a Police Officer I in the Wailuku Patrol District, followed by a transfer to the Kīhei Patrol District the following year, where he served for five years. In 2012, he returned to the Wailuku Patrol District until transferring to his most recent assignment in the Kīhei Patrol District in 2014.

Sergeant Devine has served as a Field Training Officer since 2010 and has been an active member of the Peer Support Team since 2018, the Negotiation Team since 2020, and the Drone Team since 2022. He obtained his Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from California State University, Long Beach, in 1994.

Sergeant David Jakubczak joined the department in 2011, where he began his career as a Police Officer I in the Kīhei Patrol District, where he served for five years. In 2016, he was transferred to the Vice Narcotics Division before being assigned to the Wailuku Patrol District in 2022.

Sergeant Jakubczak has served as an active member of the Special Response Team since 2015.

Sergeant Erik Matsuo joined the department in 2014, where he began his career as a Police Officer I in the Kīhei Patrol District, followed by an assignment to the Wailuku Receiving Desk, then a transfer to the Molokaʻi Patrol District. Upon his return from Molokaʻi, Sergeant Matsuo returned to the Kīhei Patrol District.

In 2018, he transferred to his latest assignment in the Crime Reduction Unit, where he served as the Acting Commander in 2023 and 2024.

Sergeant Matsuo serves as an active member of the Specialized Emergency Enforcement Detail team and an Emergency Vehicle Operator Course instructor.

He and his wife, Aja, have four children: Nainoa, Ha’aheo, Kiare, and Mia-Kyrie.

Sergeant Alika Mullen joined the department in 2010, where he began his career as a Police Officer I in the Wailuku Patrol District before transferring to the Molokaʻi Patrol District. After serving a year, he returned to the Wailuku Patrol District.

In 2014, he was assigned to the Vice Narcotics Division, where he served for seven years before transferring to the Lahaina Patrol District for a year. Sergeant Mullen’s most recent assignment was as a K9 handler in the Vice Narcotics Division in 2022.

Sergeant Kawika Ornellas joined the department in 2014, where he began his career as a Police Officer I in the Wailuku Patrol District and remained throughout his career. Throughout his tenure, he served as a Field Training Officer, and in April of 2024 joined the Community Police Officer Section.

Sergeant Ornellas has served as an active member of the Special Response Team since 2022.

Sergeant Alvin Ota joined the department in 2010, where he began his career as a Police Officer I in the Kīhei Patrol District, where he served four years. In 2014, he was transferred to the Traffic Division’s OUI Task Force, where he served for two years, before transferring to the Traffic Division’s Solo Bike Detail Unit for four years. His most recent assignment was in the Traffic Division’s Vehicular Homicide Unit.

Sergeant Ota has served as an active member of the Drone Team since 2020.

Sergeant Jeffrey Platt joined the department in 2007, where he began his career as a Police Officer I in the Kīhei Patrol District, followed by a transfer to the Hāna Patrol District in 2009, where he served for one year. Between 2010 and 2014, he served in the Wailuku Patrol District before being transferred to the Special Response Team. His most recent assignment in the Special Response Team was as the tracking K9 handler since 2016.

Sergeant Platt served as a Field Training Officer during his tenure in the Wailuku Patrol District.

Sergeant Corey Tom joined the department in 2009, where he began his career as a Police Officer I in the Lahaina Patrol District and remained throughout his career. Throughout his tenure, he served as a Field Training Officer and a Community Police Officer.

Sergeant Tom serves as an active member of the Command Vehicle Team and Crisis Intervention Team and an Emergency Vehicle Operations Course Instructor.

He and his wife, Melanie, have four children.

Sergeant Nolan Wada joined the department in 2015, where he began his career as a Police Officer I in the Wailuku Patrol District. His most recent assignment was in the Plans, Training, Research, and Development Section, where he served four years.

Sergeant Wada serves as an active member of the Special Response Team and Crisis Intervention Team.

He and his wife, Keli, have two children.