Kona Patrol Officer Anson Caceres was recognized by the Kona Crime Prevention Committee as Officer of the Month for December 2022.

During an investigation into two murder cases in Kona and two attempted murder cases in Hilo, Detective Caceres distinguished himself by volunteering to conduct video surveillance recovery and review.
 
As Detective Caceres began reviewing the video contents, it became apparent that he would be limited by video quality and reach. Nonetheless, Detective Caceres spent several days reviewing the video. Noting a peculiar reaction of a passerby the morning of the murder, he began the process of reviewing all recovered video and images in the area, and breaking them down into smaller sequences, until the suspicious passerby could be seen walking toward the Kailua-Kona Old Industrial area.
 
Detective Caceres contacted multiple businesses in the Old Industrial area and recovered numerous videos.  By analyzing and piecing together the individual videos, he was able to follow the path of the suspicious passerby until he obtained a clear image of the individual. This process led to the identification of the suspect in the investigation.
 
With information from Kona Patrol, and assistance from Community Policing and Special Enforcement Units, Area II detectives were able to locate and arrest the 24-year-old suspect. Police determined the suspect was also responsible for two separate stabbings in May 2022 in the Hilo area. The suspect was subsequently charged with one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and two counts of second-degree attempted murder.
 
Every month the Kona Crime Prevention Committee honors a police officer in west Hawai‘i as their Officer of the Month. Officers are nominated by their supervisors from the various police districts and a winner is selected by the KCPC board of directors. All officers selected for Officer of the Month are eligible to be selected as the Kona Crime Prevention Committee’s Officer of the Year.

HPD Photo