Maui Police Department announces promotion of 15 officers to the rank of Sergeant

The Maui Police Department is pleased to announce the recent promotions of 15 officers to the rank of Sergeant, effective May 16, 2026.

Sergeant Sean Bio joined the department in 2009, beginning his career in the Wailuku Patrol District before transferring to the Hāna Patrol District in 2011, where he served for one year.

In 2012, he returned to the Wailuku Patrol District until his transfer to the Community Policing Unit for the Kahului area in 2018. In 2023, he briefly returned to the Wailuku Patrol District, where he served as Acting Sergeant from 2024 to 2026.

Sergeant Bio has served as a Field Training Officer since 2016 during his tenure in the Wailuku Patrol District.

He and his wife, Heizel, have two children.

Sergeant Stafford “Lani” Caparida joined the department in 2002 as a member of the department’s 59th Recruit Class. Throughout his career, he has served in patrol assignments in Lahaina, Molokaʻi, Wailuku, Hāna, and Kīhei.

He also served two years in the Vice Narcotics Section and completed two terms as the Molokaʻi Community Police Officer, totaling eight years working closely with the Molokaʻi community.

Sergeant Caparida, who is from Molokaʻi, has been married to his wife, Kristie, for 35 years. Together they have six children and nine grandchildren.

In addition to his law enforcement duties, Sergeant Caparida serves as Pastor of The Gospel Shoes of Christ Jesus Church.

Sergeant William Cleghorn II joined the department in 2014, beginning his career in the Wailuku Patrol District before transferring to the Hāna Patrol District. Upon returning from Hāna in 2017, he was assigned to the Lahaina Patrol District, where he served as a Field Training Officer. In 2024, he began his most recent assignment as a Community Police Officer in the Lahaina District.

Sergeant Cleghorn is a member of the Special Response Team and the Multi-Assault Counter Terrorism Action Capabilities (MACTAC) program. Throughout his career, he has been recognized with the Maui Police Department’s Medal of Valor and Certificate of Merit for his service and actions in the line of duty.

Sergeant Kevin Dunn joined the department in 2010, beginning his career in the Lahaina Patrol District before transferring to the Molokaʻi Patrol District. Upon returning from Molokaʻi, he resumed his assignment in Lahaina Patrol, where he served as a Field Training Officer for 10 years.

In 2015, Sergeant Dunn joined the Specialized Emergency Enforcement Detail (SPEED) Team, where he currently serves. In 2023, he began his most recent assignment as a Visitor-Oriented Police Officer. He is also a recipient of the Maui Police Department’s Medal of Valor and Certificate of Merit for his service and actions in the line of duty.

Sergeant Ryan Ehlers joined the department in 2010, serving in the Lahaina, Lānaʻi, and Kīhei districts. In 2014, he was selected for assignment to the Traffic Division, where he served as an investigator with the Vehicular Homicide Unit, responsible for investigating serious injury and fatal traffic collisions.

Sergeant Ehlers has distinguished himself in the field of traffic crash reconstruction and became the first officer in the State of Hawaiʻi to earn accreditation through the Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction.

In addition to his investigative responsibilities, Sergeant Ehlers is a member of the department’s Drone Team and serves as an instructor in Arrest and Defense Tactics, Police Mountain Bike Training, and traffic-related disciplines within MPD recruit training.

Sergeant Caleb Guarriello joined the department in 2015, beginning his career in the Wailuku Patrol District. In 2019, he was selected for assignment to the Traffic Division’s OUI Task Force, where he served for three years focusing on impaired driving enforcement and roadway safety initiatives.

Most recently, he served as an investigator in the Traffic Division’s Vehicular Homicide Unit, a position he held since 2023, where he was responsible for investigating serious injury and fatal traffic collisions.

Sergeant Guarriello is currently a member of the department’s Drone Team, serves as an instructor for the Peer Support Team, and has played an active role in training MPD recruits in traffic-related disciplines.

He and his wife, Luna, a fellow Maui Police Department officer, have two children, Miabella and Anthony, whose support has been instrumental throughout his career.

Sergeant John Kalama joined the department in 2006, beginning his career in the Wailuku Patrol District before transferring to the Hāna Patrol District. Upon returning from Hāna, he resumed his assignment in Wailuku Patrol, where he served as a Field Training Officer.

From 2012 to 2015, he was assigned to the Vice Division’s Gambling and Morals Unit before transferring in 2018 to the Wailuku Community Policing Unit.  In his new role he will be serving in the Lahaina District.

Sergeant Stephen Kelly joined the department in 2012, beginning his career in the Wailuku Patrol District. In November 2013, he transferred to the Kīhei Patrol District before being assigned to the Hāna Patrol District in April 2014. He returned to the Wailuku Patrol District in April 2015, where he served as a Field Training Officer.

In August 2018, Sergeant Kelly transferred to the Traffic Section OUI Task Force, where he has made more than 700 OUI arrests.  

He is also a certified Field Sobriety Test Instructor, Laser Instructor, Drug Recognition Expert, Emergency Vehicle Operations Course Instructor, Breath Alcohol Test Instructor, and teaches OUI investigations to MPD recruits.

Sergeant Nephi Laga joined the department in 2010, launching his career in the Kīhei Patrol District before transferring to assignments in Lahaina and Lānaʻi. He later moved to the Wailuku Patrol District, where he served as a Field Training Officer, helping shape the department’s newest recruits. Most recently, he served as the School Resource Officer at Baldwin High School.

Beyond his regular duties, Sergeant Laga is heavily involved in local youth athletics. He serves as a Director for the Maui Police Activities League (MPAL), overseeing the flag and tackle football leagues, and volunteers as an assistant football coach for Baldwin High School.

He shares this milestone with his wife, Emmy, and their family.

Sergeant Halayudha MacKnight joined the department in 2005, beginning his career in the Wailuku Patrol District.

He was subsequently transferred to the Molokaʻi Patrol District, where he served for two years before returning to Wailuku Patrol. During his second tour in Wailuku, Sergeant MacKnight served as a member of the Special Response Team and Counter Sniper Unit, while also serving as a Field Training Officer.

He was later assigned to the Vice Division’s Narcotics/K9 Unit, where he served for approximately eight years. From there, he returned to Wailuku Patrol for five years before transferring to the Kīhei Patrol District for three years, where he continued serving as a Field Training Officer.

In 2026, Sergeant MacKnight was assigned to the Real-Time Operations Center, a centerpiece of the Chief’s effort to enhance public and officer safety within the community.

Sergeant Charles-Blase Masuda joined the department in 2016, beginning his career in the Wailuku Patrol District before transferring to the Molokaʻi Patrol District in 2017. Upon returning from Molokaʻi, he served as a Field Training Officer in the Wailuku Patrol District beginning in 2018 until his transfer to the Critical Outreach and Response through Education (CORE) Unit in May 2025.

Sergeant Rahul Mehra joined the department in 2011, beginning his career in the Wailuku Patrol District before transferring to the Lahaina Patrol District, where he served as a Field Training Officer.

Sergeant Mehra is currently a member of the Specialized Emergency Enforcement Detail (SPEED) Team and the Crisis Negotiator Team. In 2020, he transferred to the Traffic OUI Task Force, where he served for four years. In 2024, he returned to the Lahaina Patrol District, where he most recently served as an Acting Sergeant.

He has two young children, Foxx and Avi.

Sergeant Brianna Stice joined the department in 2009 and began her career in the Kīhei Patrol District before transferring to the Lānaʻi Patrol District.

After returning from Lānaʻi in 2012, Sergeant Stice briefly served in Wailuku Patrol before returning to Kīhei Patrol. In 2014, she became a certified Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Officer and also served as a Field Training Officer.

In 2020, Sergeant Stice transferred to the Juvenile Crime Prevention Division, where she continued to serve until her promotion to Sergeant.

Sergeant James Taylor joined the department in 2009 after serving in the United States Navy. He began his law enforcement career as a patrol officer in Lahaina before transferring to Hāna, where he served for three years.

After returning to Lahaina, Sergeant Taylor was appointed as a Field Training Officer, training newly graduated recruits and helping prepare the next generation of officers for patrol operations.

In 2017, he transferred to the Traffic Section OUI Task Force. During this time, he became a certified instructor in field sobriety testing and drug recognition investigations. In 2018, Sergeant Taylor became a Drug Recognition Expert Instructor, enabling him to teach advanced drug-impaired driving investigations. In 2019, he joined the Solo Bike Unit and assisted with serious traffic crash and vehicular homicide investigations.

Following the tragic Lahaina wildfire in August 2023, Sergeant Taylor was assigned to the Maui Police Forensic Facility, where he became part of the Morgue Identification and Notification Task Force (MINT). He worked alongside search and rescue teams and coordinated with multiple agencies to help identify victims and make in-person notifications to their families.

In November 2023, Sergeant Taylor joined the newly created Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit. This specialized unit focuses on solving unsolved homicides and long-term missing person cases through the use of forensic science, investigative techniques, and modern technology.

Throughout his career, Sergeant Taylor has received advanced training in police motorcycle operations, crisis intervention, homicide investigations, fatal traffic crash investigations, interview and interrogation techniques, victimology, drug recognition, police instruction, and cold case and missing person investigations.

He and his wife, Danell, have two children, Jaxen and Sullivan.

Sergeant Shane Yoshida joined the department in 2009, beginning his career in the Kīhei Patrol District before transferring to the Lānaʻi Patrol District. Upon returning from Lānaʻi, he was assigned to the Wailuku Patrol District, where he served as a Field Training Officer.

In 2014, he was assigned to the Lahaina Patrol District as the Community Police Officer and Visitor-Oriented Police Officer.

Sergeant Yoshida has served as a member of the Specialized Emergency Enforcement Detail (SPEED) Team, an Arrest and Defense Tactics instructor, and is currently a member of the department’s Drone Team.

He and his wife, Eliza, have three children: ShaynaLee, Zyler, and Tatym Jean. He also has one grandson, Carter “Laʻi” James.

The Maui Police Department congratulates each of these individuals on their promotions.  Their hard work and dedication to our agency and community are greatly appreciated.