Acting HPD Chief Concerned About $250K Payment To Kealoha
Cary Okimoto tells his employees he opposes the use of HPD funds in a deal to get embattled Chief Louis Kealoha to retire.
Retiring Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha鈥檚 $250,000 severance payment isn’t聽sitting well with his acting successor.
On Tuesday, the department released a Jan. 19 letter that Acting Police Chief Cary Okimoto wrote to department employees that expressed his worry about how the payout might affect the budget.
The Honolulu Police Commission approved the deal during a closed-door meeting Jan. 18 as part of a deal to get Kealoha to retire.
Kealoha is a target of an ongoing corruption investigation along with his wife, Katherine, a city prosecutor, and other officers in the police department.
鈥淭he HPD does not support or oppose the retirement agreement,鈥 Okimoto said. 鈥淗owever, I would be remiss if I did not express my concern.
“For the record, I am opposed to the use of departmental monies to fund the severance payment,” he wrote. “The department did not participate in the discussion process and was only informed of the final decision shortly before yesterday鈥檚 news conference.鈥
The Police Commission negotiated Kealoha鈥檚 separation agreement in a series of private meetings, some of which may have violated the state鈥檚 Sunshine Law.
In addition to the $250,000 lump sum payment, Kealoha is entitled to his full pension and benefits. It鈥檚 estimated that Kealoha, who has 33 years of service with HPD, could earn around $150,000 per year in pension payments.
A provision of Kealoha鈥檚 retirement deal 鈥 which specifically states that he is leaving in 鈥済ood standing鈥 鈥 says that he would be required to pay back the $250,000 severance if he鈥檚 convicted of a felony in the next six years.
No charges have been filed against Kealoha in connection with the U.S. Justice Department investigation. The chief, whose official retirement date is聽March 1, has maintained his innocence.
Read Okimoto鈥檚 letter here:
