The city’s 12th police chief will be selected May 23 by Honolulu Police Commission members, who will learn the identities of the remaining candidates Wednesday.
The public, meanwhile, will get a closer look at the finalists during a live, televised forum May 19 on PBS Hawaii’s “Insight” program.
Seven people are vying
to take over from interim Honolulu Police Chief Rade Vanic, who assumed the post when former Chief
Susan Ballard retired in June. The candidates are participating in a three-day “assessment center” at an undisclosed location in Waikiki that started Monday and will wrap up Wednesday.
The assessment center consists of multiple oral and written exercises designed to allow for the real-time analysis of critical job competencies, according to the Police Commission. Candidates also will be asked to provide written self-evaluations of their performance in each exercise and complete a leadership assessment.
Following the assessment center, PSI Services LLC, an out-of-state consultant hired in December for $145,777 to conduct an “Examination and Assessment of Psychological Competency and Other Characteristics for the Selection of Chief of Police,” will pick the finalists and reveal their identities and the assessment results to the commission Wednesday.
“The commissioners do not have information on those who will participate in the assessment center,” commission Executive Officer James Yuen told the
Honolulu Star-Advertiser on May 3.
Oral and written testimony from the public will be accepted before the finalists participate in the 90-minute “conversation” May 19 on “Insight.” The program, airing at 7:30 p.m. on PBS Hawaii and also livestreamed, will be hosted by Star-
Advertiser “Spotlight Hawaii” host Yunji de Nies, according to a news release from the public television station.
“We understand the responsibility of providing a transparent and safe place for viewers to engage with the finalists, and a neutral and balanced space for the finalists to respond to the community they will serve,” said Ron Mizutani, president and CEO of PBS Hawaii, in the release.
The forum “will allow the public to hear from the final candidates for chief of one of the largest metropolitan police departments in the United States.”
“We are grateful to PBS Hawaii for hosting this forum,” said Police Commission Chair Shannon Alivado in the release. “Insights has a strong reputation as a neutral moderator of issues important to the community. We look forward to this broadcast.”
Vanic ended his candidacy for the chief’s job before applicants took the written exam March 17.
Commissioners will again accept written and oral testimony from the public before they deliberate and select the next chief, pending medical clearance, at their May 23 meeting.
