I have been deeply saddened by the Kealoha trial (“Kealohas guilty,” Star-Advertiser, June 28), but like most of us, my encounters with the Honolulu Police Department have been the rare traffic ticket. Thankfully, this hasn’t happened often.

On my first occasion, I was a young student at the University of Hawaii and had turned the wrong way onto a one-way street on my motor scooter.

The officer was local, professional — and kind.

Forty years later I was stopped for a minor infraction and the police officer was short, curt and almost rude.

I told him so.

Traffic cops are often the only part of HPD most of us encounter. They do nothing for the department’s present sad reputation. Perhaps a crash course focusing on aloha in serving the public may help.

Mark Yasuhara

Aiea

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