In what the clients’ lawyer frames as “an abomination,” a father and son of Tongan descent who live in Honolulu’s University neighborhood were allegedly stopped at gunpoint on New Year’s Day while running toward the scene of a police shootout, after hearing a commotion. A second unmarked police vehicle then allegedly rammed into and injured the younger man, who was beaten “viciously” by officers while his father, despite protests, was handcuffed and held to the ground nearby.

The incident raises serious concerns about Honolulu Police Department actions. The alleged civil rights violations are foremost, but the timeline and communications about the events also raise deep apprehension over an apparent lack of urgency by HPD’s chief and Honolulu’s mayor to ascertain whether there was indeed police wrongdoing — and to reassure the public by strongly standing against any such misbehavior. The incident also spotlights HPD’s continued lack of transparency and communication with the public on a daily basis.

A lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges that HPD violated 25-year-old Tevitonga Cadiente’s civil rights under both state and federal law, beating and injuring him without cause. Cadiente suffered a concussion and fractured facial bones, among other injuries. But despite the violent nature of this alleged encounter, HPD failed to disclose specifics of the incident for more than two weeks; it was the lawsuit that brought the situation to light.

The mayhem occurred on Jan. 1, in the midst of a heated manhunt for attempted murder suspect Sidney Tafokitau, who had allegedly shot and killed a man on Dec. 16. On New Year’s Day, Tafokitau, who is also Tongan, allegedly shot a woman, hijacked a car at gunpoint, then led police on a hours-long pursuit. On University Avenue, as police closed in, Tafokitau shot and seriously wounded two officers before he was killed.

While the manhunt was unfolding, information provided to the public was sorely lacking. Even as police set up a roadblock and diverted traffic away from University Avenue, drivers and residents in the area were not alerted that an armed and violent suspect was being pursued nearby.

And HPD Chief Arthur “Joe” Logan’s handling of the incident, with an unconscionable weeks-long gap between its Jan. 1 occurrence and the public’s knowledge — raises uncomfortable worries that, had this encounter not led to a lawsuit, it might not even have been revealed.

HPD and the city — including the mayor and the Prosecutor’s Office — must scrutinize this issue to determine if there has been police abuse, and what procedures and policies best protect the public from having such a case on the down-low without investigation or consequence.

Given the protections police officers are afforded during investigations — officers’ names are not released, nor are most details, until discipline is meted — it’s vitally important that the public know when a serious incident occurs that’s prompted questions, and whether internal investigation will indeed occur.

It must also be nonnegotiable that our public leaders advocate for, and enforce, expectations linked to the police. Here, Chief Logan should have notified Mayor Rick Blangiardi weeks ago of this incident, with the public informed by one or both of them. Honolulu deserves more and better leadership.

At Wednesday’s Honolulu Police Commission meeting, a day after Cadiente’s lawsuit was filed, Logan’s response to questions from the commission was that he had not yet reviewed the allegations. And when asked to comment, Blangiardi deflected, referring questions back to HPD. “I haven’t read the documents” or “I wasn’t in the loop” are not answers the police commission, the news media nor the public should expect or accept from the chief or mayor. Instead of hedging, both should be articulating that open communication with the public is expected, and that unwarranted police violence is not acceptable.

Transparency is an essential element in conducting the public’s business, including crime prevention and law enforcement, because it allows for public accountability, an intrinsic part of serving in the public realm. That’s a crucial expectation involved in the use of body cameras, and a benefit of media access to unfiltered police radio communications — a benefit lamentably missing because of HPD’s wrongheaded denial of reporters’ monitoring of police scanners.