Mayor reacts to retirement agreement with police chief

News Release from Office of the Mayor January 19, 2017

Honolulu – Mayor Kirk Caldwell issued the following statement today after it was announced the Honolulu Police Commission had reached a retirement agreement with Louis Kealoha: 

“As the appointing authority with exclusive oversight of the Chief of Police, the Police Commission reached a retirement agreement with Louis Kealoha that allows the Honolulu Police Department to move forward in its search for a new leader. Failing to resolve this situation in a timely manner could have resulted in further delays and could have cost the taxpayers even more money, as the Police Commission would have been required to follow a termination procedure – if they decided to terminate him – that could have taken weeks, if not months or years, if appeals were taken. Like many residents of Honolulu I’m concerned about the use of taxpayer funds as stated in this agreement, but allowing this situation to linger is not in the best interest of our men and women in blue, or the people of the City and County. I appreciate the fact that, should Kealoha be indicted and found guilty of a felony within six years of the signed agreement, he has agreed to return those funds to the city. I’m confident the Commission will select a new police chief who has the experience and background that will allow HPD to retain its Gold Standard accreditation, while also keeping Honolulu one of the safest big cities in the nation.”

-END- 

Chief Takes One Final Payoff – $250K Plus Full Pension

HNN: The Honolulu Police Commission voted on Wednesday to approve a $250,000 payout deal for outgoing Police Chief Louis Kealoha, on the condition that the money be repaid if Kealoha is convicted of the crime for which the FBI is investigating him. 

The details of the retirement deal were hammered out during another closed-door meeting that lasted several hours, ending with a 5-1 vote to approve the agreement….

Officials say that since the City Council has not been given oversight to approve the pay off, the Honolulu Police Department might be on the hook for the deal….

read … Payoff 

CB: Agreement calls for Louis Kealoha to pay back the money if he is convicted of a felony.

KHON: Chief Kealoha to retire in March with $250,000 severance payment

PDF: FULL TEXT RETIREMENT AGREEMENT