For today’s police officers, it’s a tough enough job fighting crime out there in our communities — but harder still when they have to police their own within the ranks.

Red flags about worrisome behavior were raised again during Thursday’s Honolulu Police Commission, as discussion centered on two separate cases of alleged domestic abuse by a police officer.

Both arrests occurred this month: Cpl. Roland M. Kam, 49, was arrested April 17 on suspicion of misdemeanor abuse of a family or household member, second-degree unlawful imprisonment and interference with reporting an emergency or crime; Sterling E.K. Naki, 42, was arrested April 15 in Makakilo for allegedly abusing a family or household member.

Prosecutors say neither will be prosecuted due to “insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt” — but both cases remain under HPD administrative investigation with the officers placed on desk duty.

HPD needs to disclose the eventual outcomes of those probes. That’s especially so in Naki’s case, who has a work history that’s run afoul of HPD’s own high standards of conduct. A 13-year HPD veteran assigned to Kapolei, Naki had been fired in connection with the 2015 cover-up of an accidental shooting in a bar, but was reinstated through arbitration.

Interim Chief Rade Vanic told police commissioners that since 2017, 20 officers have been arrested in domestic violence cases, including three last year, two in 2020 and seven in 2019.

An HPD report about trends in complaints from 2016 to 2020 found domestic violence-related ones comprised a notable portion of criminal allegations against officers investigated by the department. In 2020, the report found, 31% of the 124 criminal complaints received by HPD’s Professional Standards Office involved domestic violence.

Talk about red flags. Those troubling stats ought to spur action by HPD as well as the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, the police union, to strengthen programs and interventions for their armed HPD officers. As HPD knows, it takes but a few bad apples to erode the hard-earned public trust so vital for officers to do their jobs well — particularly after the corruption scandal involving disgraced former chief, Louis Kealoha.

Another red flag that speaks to the need for proactive reforms: The City Council having to approve millions of dollars worth of legal settlements over alleged police misconduct.

HPD has been without a permanent chief for nearly a year now, much too long for Oahu’s crime problems. With the chief search finally whittling to seven finalists and set for a June selection, Oahu is eager for a permanent police leader. One who will raise the bar, both on public safety in our diverse communities, and in conduct and integrity among the rank and file.