Dog The Bounty Hunter’s Wife Might Help Select HPD’s Next Chief
Honolulu Police Commission Chairman Max Sword says Beth Chapman, who works in bail bonds, could bring a unique perspective to the selection process.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was governor of California. Donald Trump is leader of the free world. And now Beth Chapman, a reality TV star, could help select the next police chief of one of the largest departments in the country.
On Wednesday, the Honolulu Police Commission revealed the names of 13 citizens who were nominated to help grade candidates who applied to be the city鈥檚 next police chief.
Each of the seven commissioners was supposed to submit up to two names each to the list. Among that group, five will be chosen to help analyze more than 30 applicants who want to replace retired police chief Louis Kealoha.
While the list is loaded with recognizable names 鈥 it includes a former mayor and police chief 鈥 Chapman鈥檚 stands out most.
She鈥檚 perhaps best known as the wife of Duane Chapman, who is better known for his persona as Dog the Bounty Hunter, a platinum-mulleted bail bondsman who turned his family occupation of arresting flighty criminals into a reality show bonanza for the A&E Network.
Police Commission Chairman Max Sword named Chapman as a possible chief selection committee members. He also selected state Rep. Ryan Yamane.
鈥淓verybody knows Beth,鈥 Sword said. 鈥淪he deals with the police department almost every single day in what she does. She鈥檚 on the other side of the table, so to speak, so I thought that she would be good from that perspective.鈥
Chapman might seem like an odd choice, however, given the scandals going on within the Honolulu Police Department.
Kealoha was forced to resign after being implicated in a federal public corruption probe that includes allegations that he and his wife, Katherine, a high-ranking city prosecutor, worked to frame her uncle for stealing their mailbox so that they could undermine his credibility in a legal dispute over money.
That investigation has been ongoing for nearly two years, and includes allegations of wrongdoing by several other police officers, including one former cop who has already pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges.
The HPD has been gripped by numerous other controversies in recent history. Several officers have been accused of serious misconduct and criminal activity, including domestic violence, kidnapping and sexual assault.
Chapman and her husband have also found themselves at odds with law enforcement. Last year the Hawaii Attorney General鈥檚 Office , Da Kine Bail Bonds, saying that they owed the state $35,500.
Sword said during a break in Wednesday鈥檚 meeting that he didn鈥檛 want to comment on the Chapmans鈥 disagreements with the state attorney general鈥檚 office.
Here鈥檚 the full list of selection committee nominees:
