Maj. Janet Crotteau, former commander of the Honolulu Police Department’s Legislative Liaison Office, is being promoted to assistant chief, one of HPD’s top posts.

Crotteau, a 32-year HPD veteran, will be in charge of the Regional Patrol Bureau, which oversees the Waianae, Pearl City, Wahiawa and Windward Oahu districts.

She expects moving up the ladder in a male-dominated organization will bring challenges, but sees that as an opportunity.

“I have some great majors, and I have history just about everywhere,” said Crotteau, who has worked in the Communications Division, the former Internal Affairs Division, the Narcotics/Vice Division and patrol. “It’s a good challenge.”

Crotteau said females bring a different approach to the department and have to rely on techniques other than physical power to fight crime, such as verbal skills and support from co-workers.

“I alone can’t make things happen,” she said. “I need them to support me and the department.”

Crotteau was one of five majors contending for the spot. Her selection came after Maj. Ryan Borges, commander of the Major Events Division, was selected for the post but then turned it down following an outcry over a letter he wrote with religious undertones seeking support for his promotion and because of a domestic violence incident in his past.

Crotteau said the department received a lot of scrutiny from legislators in the recent session, but she found legislators sought a lot of changes because they didn’t realize HPD already has good policies in place and that some problems might have occurred because policies weren’t followed.

She added that while patrol is often called the backbone of the department, sergeants are the backbone of patrol.

“They supervise; that’s the midlevel first line,” she said. “If those guys are doing the right thing, then we’re OK.”

Asked about the controversy over a federal grand jury investigation involving Chief Louis Kealoha, she said she is not concerned because “the department is bigger than the chief alone.”

Two deputy chiefs and five other assistant chiefs can continue leading the 2,000-officer department if anything happens to the chief, she said, adding, “No one person can destroy the department.”

Crotteau said she would like to encourage more women to join HPD because females affect how people think about the department and they broaden the department’s scope.

Besides Crotteau, 25 other officers had their promotions announced Wednesday at Ala Moana Beach Park’s McCoy Pavilion. The promotions are effective Sunday.

Two were promoted to captain: Aaron Farias and Thomas Taflinger. Four were promoted to lieutenant: Jarod Hiramoto, Mike Lambert, Bradon Ogata and Brandon Yamamoto.

Those promoted to sergeant were Brett Carter, Ross Furuhashi, Creighton Hatico, Fumikazu Muraoka and Jefferey Omine. Those promoted to detective were James Jeremiah III, Casey Kailihiwa and Ryan Ma-tsuda.

Eleven received promotions to corporal: Mitchell Cabral, Christopher Chung, Dallas Forges, Cary Izuka, Terrill Khari, Benjamin Lloyd, Dane McCallum, Alessandro Mendez, Lee Randall Paclib, Sheldon Stephenson and Jason Tanaka.