Latest news with #SHOPO
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Leadership in limbo among Hawaiʻi police departments
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Three of Hawaiʻi's four county police departments may soon lack permanent chiefs, which is raising concerns about leadership stability. HPD Chief Joe Logan announces retirement Honolulu's mayor has someone in mind for HPD but the process has yet to play out. Honolulu, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi County all face vacancies for permanent police chiefs. Honolulu's Joe Logan announced on Monday that he will retire at the end of June,Kauai's Todd Raybuck will step aside on June 12 and the Big Island will also need a new permanent leader if Hawaiʻi's Ben Moszkowicz becomes Honolulu's interim chief. 'All of the commissions, when they're looking for a chief, that they not only take input from the community, but they take input from the rank and file officers on the beat, that are answering, the 911 calls for service,' said SHOPO president Robert Cavaco. Mayor Blangiardi recommended Moszkowicz for Honolulu's interim role and hopes the commission moves faster than last time. Honolulu councilmember develops plan to address HPD officer shortage 'After Chief Ballard retired, you know, it took police commission in Honolulu over a year to select Chief Logan,' Cavaco said. A Honolulu Police Commission member said the quick suggestion from Blangiardi was surprising and added that filling interim and permanent replacement positions will not be his call. 'The police commission is in charge of hiring and firing the chief. That's pretty much the main thing that we are chartered to do,' said Ann Botticelli. 'I appreciate the mayor's recommendation. He's made it. But does that give Chief Moszkowitz, a leg up over other candidates, per se? I don't think so.' Botticelli added that Moszkowicz still needs to apply for the job like any other candidate and the City needs to select a contractor to help narrow down applicants. 'And so I think at this point, what the mayor can do to help us expedite that, is to make sure that the city HR department moves our request for support from an outside agency along pretty quickly,' she said. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news SHOPO's president said he is hopeful that the search for a permanent replacement for Chief Logan will not take longer than five months and said he will be in touch with the three county police commissions as the search for each department continues. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Kauaʻi police officers ready to move forward as Chief finally announces retirement date
HONOLULU (KHON2) — After months of uncertainty, the future is starting to become clearer for the Kauaʻi Police Department. The chief of police finally announced his retirement date, which officers say will allow for a much-needed reboot of the department. Former Honolulu police chief returns to Hawaii In a letter to the Kauaʻi Police Commission, Chief Todd Raybuck said he's retiring on June 12. He first announced he was leaving back in November. 'It's something we've been talking about for more than a year now is that this department really needs a complete refresh to start back over to build up what it's lost over the last couple of years,' said Dustin Derollo, SHOPO attorney. Raybuck was sworn in as Kauaʻi's top cop in 2019. In 2021, he was disciplined for violating the county's policy against discrimination after comments he made at work. Last year, he was suspended for three days after he left his gun in a station bathroom Check out more news from around Hawaii A department survey found issues with his leadership style, which caused a lack of trust among officers. Union leaders preferred Raybuck to leave when he made the announcement, so the department could start looking to the future. 'Everybody's been unable to do that,' said Derollo. 'You know, it's kind of been I don't even want to say a holding pattern. It's like going in slow motion, but doing so very carefully because you don't know where danger lies ahead.' The department says Raybuck gave the commission advance notice of his retirement, 'allowing them the time necessary to begin the important process of selecting the next chief.' Raybuck will officially transfer his command to Interim Chief Kalani Ke on June 12. The job opening was recently posted and will be open for a little over a month. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Whoever the next chief is, officers say they just want someone who'll listen to their concerns and be accountable. 'And they want to be inspired,' said Derollo. 'They want to see that they can start over. They want to be part of the solution of rebuilding the department that they know that they are.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kauai county reaches COVID hazard pay settlement with police union
The union representing Kauai Police Department officers reached a settlement agreement with the county over COVID-19 hazard pay with initial payouts of approximately $20, 000 coming in the next four to five months if the Kauai County Council votes to accept it. The total cost of the settlement package has not been finalized. Kauai county officials do not yet have a firm cost estimate, but are working on one to present to Council members ahead of the vote. The agreement between the county and the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, or SHOPO, covers officers who worked from March 4, 2020, through March 25, 2022. Officers would be compensated for hours actually worked during that period, not any leave time. SHOPO's Kauai chapter counts 121 members. 'We are pleased to have reached agreeable terms for a COVID THP (temporary hazard pay ) settlement with SHOPO, ' Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. 'It was important to our administration that the settlements with various unions be consistent, and we appreciate our associates' patience as we worked through the details.' Voting material is being mailed to eligible police officers to the addresses the union has on file. Voting on the agreement begins Monday and closes at noon March 17. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. In an email to SHOPO's Kauai chapter members obtained by the Star-Advertiser, union President Robert Cavaco, a Honolulu Police Department lieutenant, announced the agreement with the county. 'After three years of legal and labor law process, the (SHOPO ) State Board has a Hazard Pay compensation package worthy of your support, ' Cavaco wrote. 'We endorse this agreement, and we recommend you ratify it. The SHOPO State Board believes the compensation package in front of you provides the best financial benefit attainable through a negotiated agreement.' Payouts will be based on the officer's 'actual experience ' during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is 'highly likely ' that members who worked consistently through the COVID-19-related hazard period will get a check for $20, 000 or more. The estimated payment timeline is four to five months after the agreement is ratified by the membership and the County Council, Cavaco said. He told members familiar with Honolulu's COVID-19 hazard pay settlement that they 'may have noticed that SHOPO's analysis of the two proposals is basically identical, ' explaining that while each chapter 'has to pursue hazard pay separately, each chapter relies upon the same collective bargaining agreement.' A hypothetical calculation included in a short video message shared with members Thursday night shows what a KPD officer who worked during COVID-19 might receive. The agreement covers up to 4, 160 regular work hours per officer. The hourly rate for a police officer VII was $32.81, meaning the officer would have earned $136, 490 over the two-year period. Fifteen percent of that amount is $20, 473. Hazard pay for overtime also is calculated at 15 % of each overtime hour worked, regardless of rank or assignment. The same police officer VII who worked two years of overtime at 600 hours a year would earn $39, 372 by the terms of the agreement, for an additional $5, 905 in hazard pay. At the end of February, members of the Honolulu police officers union overwhelmingly voted to accept a with the city worth more than $30 million, with initial payouts of $20, 000 or more by June 30. Of the 946 votes cast, 890 were in support of the settlement, 49 were opposed and there were seven blank votes. The number of eligible SHOPO Honolulu chapter voters was 1, 653. 'Just as was the case in Honolulu, while it is impossible to predict the future, we do believe that if the agreement is not ratified, we will not likely see future settlement discussions with the county, ' Cavaco wrote. 'You all have been patient through this cumbersome, frustrating process. We appreciate that. We hope you see the value in the settlement package before you.'
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Police union approves COVID hazard pay settlement
Members of the Honolulu police officers union overwhelmingly voted to accept a COVID-19 hazard pay settlement with the city worth more than $30 million with initial payouts of $20, 000 or more by June 30. In an email to members obtained by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers' state board of directors detailed the audited and certified results of the ratification vote for the 'Tentative Negotiated Hazard Pay Settlement Agreement.' Of the 946 votes cast, there were 890 in support of the settlement, 49 opposed and seven blank votes. The number of eligible SHOPO Honolulu chapter voters was 1, 653. 'In order for the agreement to go into effect, it now must be ratified by the City Council. The agreement is on the City Council's agenda for its next meeting on Feb. 26, ' read a note to members from Robert Cavaco, a lieutenant with the Honolulu Police Department and SHOPO's president. 'Assuming City Council approval, we will keep you updated as the City's implementation process proceeds. Thank you again to everyone who participated in the vote.' City officials have set aside about $115 million to settle hazard pay claims and grievances arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. HPD's hazard pay settlement is pending approval by the Hono lulu City Council. 'The ratification vote brings us closer to a settlement for our officers, and we hope that there will be an agreement soon for our civilian employees as well, ' said Honolulu Police Chief Arthur 'Joe ' Logan. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. The temporary hazard pay period applies to officers who worked from March 5, 2020, to March 5, 2022. During that two-year period, 721 HPD officers were sidelined after either being infected with COVID-19 or forced to isolate because of exposure, or while experiencing symptoms. 'Although the settlement is subject to City Council approval, the City is pleased to have reached an agreement with SHOPO on hazard pay for the essential services provided by our Honolulu Police Department during COVID-19, ' said city Managing Director Michael D. Formby in a statement to the Star-Advertiser. 'We thank them for their public service during this critical period.' The temporary negotiated settlement agreement covers eligible Tier 1 employees at 15 % of the officer's base pay and will pay 80 % by June 30. The remaining 20 % of the payout will be converted to vacation hours. In 2022, SHOPO asked for pay for officers in all counties. On Maui, county officials settled SHOPO's Maui chapter's grievance for about $13 million in February 2024. The Maui settlement covers officers employed between March 4, 2020, and March 25, 2023. Overtime worked during the pandemic is based on an officer's base pay rate. Officers who retired and are eligible will receive 100 % of their hazard payout by June 30 under the terms of the agreement. City officials agreed to convert the vacation credit to vacation hours by dividing the dollar value of an employee's vacation credit by the hourly rate of pay as set forth in the salary schedule. The city did not want to carry a deficit into the next budget cycle. The deferred cash obligation ensures that won't happen. If an officer leaves city employment, the unused temporary hazard pay vacation credit will be 'paid to the employee in cash at the employee's hourly rate of pay as of the date the employee retired or separated from employment.' The hazard pay vacation hours 'shall not be counted towards the annual vacation accrual maximum ' in the SHOPO collective bargaining agreement, but 'shall still be subject to the same terms and conditions applicable to use of vacation benefits generally, ' including blackout dates, policies regarding resolution of scheduling conflicts and when multiple employees submit vacation requests for the same date. The hazard pay vacation hours cannot be forced on an officer who may cash out 50 % of the hazard vacation pay one year after the date the agreement is finalized, which SHOPO estimates to be Feb. 26. An officer may sell back all of the hazard vacation pay two years after the Council approves the agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, a police officer who earns an hourly rate of pay of $32.81 would earn $136, 490 over that two-year period and be eligible for $20, 473 in hazard pay and $5, 906 in overtime, for a total of $26, 379. An HPD lieutenant would earn $173, 514 in the two years covered by the agreement and be eligible for $33, 535. The projections are based on the possible 4, 160 hours of work time and 1, 200 overtime hours an officer could work during the two-year period covered by the agreement.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Police union to vote on COVID hazard pay settlement
STAR-ADVERTISER Robert Cavaco STAR-ADVERTISER Robert Cavaco The union representing Honolulu police officers will vote on a COVID hazard pay settlement with the city worth more than $30 million with initial payouts of $20, 000 'or more ' by June 30. City officials have set aside about $115 million to settle hazard pay claims and grievances arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. HPD's hazard pay settlement is pending approval by the Hono lulu City Council. There are about 1, 800 sworn officers on Oahu and the agreement must be ratified by membership because it extends past SHOPO's current collective bargaining agreement with the city. Voting materials will be mailed to Honolulu chapter members with a password today with voting beginning Friday and ending Feb. 19 at noon, according to an email obtained by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser sent by the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers. The temporary hazard pay period applies to officers who worked from March 5, 2020 to March 5, 2022. During that two-year period, 721 HPD officers were sidelined after either being infected with COVID-19 or forced to isolate because of exposure, or while experiencing symptoms. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. There was one documented incident of an officer contracting the virus from a suspect who tested positive for COVID-19. 'The agreement was negotiated between the City and SHOPO and did not involve HPD, ' Chief Arthur 'Joe ' Logan told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. 'We have and continue to hope for timely THP (temporary hazard pay ) compensation for our officers and civilian employees.' Robert Cavaco, an HPD lieutenant and SHOPO president, favors approval of the agreement. 'We endorse the agreement and we recommend that you ratify it. The SHOPO board believes the compensation package in front of you provides the best mix of cash and future economic benefits through a negotiated agreement, ' wrote Cavaco. 'While all payouts will be based on an individuals actual experience it is highly likely that any member who worked consistently through the COVID Hazard pay period will get a check for $20, 000 or more by June 30, with more to come.' The temporary negotiated settlement agreement covers eligible tier one employees at 15 % of the officer's base pay and will pay 80 percent by June 30. SHOPO had asked for for officers statewide in 2022. On Maui, county officials settled SHOPO's Maui chapter's grievance for about $13 million in February 2024. The Maui settlement covers officers employed between March 4, 2020, and March 25, 2023. Overtime hours are not part of the calculation, overtime worked during the pandemic is based off of an officer's base pay rate. Officers who retired and are eligible will receive 100 percent of their hazard payout by June 30 under the terms of the agreement. The remaining 20 percent of the payout will be converted to vacation hours. City officials agreed to convert the vacation credit to vacation hours by 'dividing the dollar value of employee's vacation credit by the hourly rate of pay as set forth in the salary schedule, ' according to a Feb. 7, 2025, letter disclosing the terms of the agreement to Cavaco from city Managing Director Michael D. Formby. The city did not want to carry a deficit going into the next budget cycle, which is the reason for the deferred cash obligation. If an officer leaves city employment, the unused THP vacation credit shall be 'paid to the employee in cash at the employee's hourly rate of pay as of the date the employee retired or separated from employment.' The hazard pay vacation hours 'shall not be counted towards the annual vacation accrual maximum ' in the SHOPO collective bargaining agreement but 'shall still be subject to the same terms and conditions applicable to use of vacation benefits generally, ' including blackout dates, policies regarding resolution of scheduling conflicts and when multiple employees submit vacation requests for the same date. The hazard pay vacation hours cannot be forced on an officer who may cash out 50 percent of the hazard vacation pay one year after the date the agreement is finalized, which SHOPO estimates to be Feb. 26. An officer may sell back all of the hazard vacation pay two years after the council signs off on the agreement. SHOPO embedded a five minute and fifty second YouTube presentation walking members through the agreement that included a hypothetical look at what the agreement could mean to officers' bank accounts. The projections are based on the possible 4, 160 hours of work time and 1, 200 overtime hours an officer could work during the two year period covered by the agreement. A police officer who earns an hourly rate of pay of $32.81 would earn $136, 490 over that two year period and be eligible for $20, 473 in hazard pay, $5, 906 in overtime, for a total of $26, 379. On the high end of the scale, an HPD lieutenant, would earn $173, 514 in the two years covered by the agreement and be eligible for $33, 535. 'You all have been patient through this cumbersome, frustrating process. We appreciate that, ' wrote Cavaco in the email to SHOPO Honolulu chapter members. 'We hope you see the value of the settlement package before you.'
