Hawai‘i County Police Department Officer Jonathan Rapoza received the Haweo Award.
The award was presented by the Council’s Parks and Recreation and Public Safety Committee (PRPSC), which recognizes county police and fire department personnel who go above and beyond the call of duty.  
 
As a field training officer in the Puna District, Officer Rapoza is responsible for the training and evaluation of new police officers.  While training rookie Officer Keaolapule Fessenden-Grace, the two officers responded to a burglary in which a firearm and a vehicle were removed from a residence. Even though the owner of the residence was on vacation on the mainland when the crime occurred, the officers were able to work with a house sitter and obtain key information as part of the investigation.
 
After initiating the burglary report, they overheard information about a suspicious vehicle in a subdivision that matched the description of the stolen vehicle from their investigation on the police radio.  Arriving at the location of the reported suspicious vehicle, Officer Rapoza and Fessenden-Grace found a vehicle that had clearly been disguised to prevent detection and arrested the man and woman found within the car.
 
After recovering the vehicle and obtaining a search warrant, investigators found methamphetamine within the car and determined the vehicle was indeed the one stolen from the burglary incident. The two suspects were questioned and their information led to the identity of an individual who coordinated multiple other property crimes and thefts, including the theft of firearms.
 
The man and woman were charged with habitual property crime offenses, vehicle theft, and drug offenses for the drugs found within the stolen vehicle—all felony offenses.
  
Officer Rapoza demonstrated dedication and leadership while teaching Officer Keaolapule Fessenden-Grace the importance of police work.

Photo credit: Hawaiʻi County Police Department