A veteran state public safety official serving on the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission stepped down on Dec. 4 to tend to his health.

Commissioner Ted Sakai, 76, was “an esteemed professional with a longstanding commitment to the field of corrections” according to a news release from the commission.

“Due to recent health challenges, Ted is no longer able to perform the duties of Commissioner with the requisite time and energy required of this important post, and therefore made the difficult decision to step down,” said Christin M. Johnson, oversight coordinator, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

“I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Commissioner Ted Sakai for his decades of service to our state and to the public we serve,” said Attorney General Anne Lopez in an emailed statement. “Ted chose a lifetime career of promoting positive change for those who pass through Hawaii’s correctional and criminal justice systems. When he wasn’t leading the Public Safety Department, he made it his mission to help wayward teens and adults through various community-based reentry and restorative programs.”

Sakai’s career in public service started in the 1970s with the John Howard Association of Hawaii where Sakai provided “assistance and counsel to individuals in the Halawa jail” before eventually becoming executive director.

Starting in 1979, Sakai held various executive positions in the state Department of Public Safety’s corrections system. Sakai was the director from 1998 until he retired in 2002.

In June 2012, then-Gov. Neil Abercrombie persuaded Sakai to return for a second term as the Department of Public Safety Director, and the Association of State Correctional Administrators named Sakai the 2014 Outstanding Director of Corrections Award.

“Ted Sakai represents the very best in public service,” Abercrombie said in an emailed statement. “He sets the standard for integrity, honesty, and determination to serve the public interest.”

In October 2019, Commissioner Sakai was appointed to the new Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, further “contributing his expertise and leadership to the field.”

“Commissioner Sakai dedicated his life to fostering a more humane corrections system, and his compassion for those in need is immeasurable. In the decade following his initial retirement, Commissioner Sakai continued his dedication by tirelessly working to facilitate programs and services for the children of incarcerated individuals,” read the release.

“Ted’s contribution to the Hawaii correctional system for half a century has been profound, he has shown courage and fortitude in navigating and decision making in a profession so often misunderstood. We will miss his insights,” said Mark Patterson, commission chair, in a statement.