Watch out, Kaua‘i: there are five new police officers on the street. The Kaua‘i Police Department celebrated their 75th police recruit class graduation last week, finishing off the festivities with a dinner at The Terrace Restaurant at the Kauai Lagoons.
Watch out, Kaua‘i: there are five new police officers on the street. The Kaua‘i Police Department celebrated their 75th police recruit class graduation last week, finishing off the festivities with a dinner at The Terrace Restaurant at the Kauai Lagoons.
With numerous honored guests watching, including Kaua‘i County Council Chair Kaipo Asing and Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste, the five members received their diplomas, police commissions, and badges.
The five newest police officers, Aaron Bandmann, Roderick Green, Steven Pastore, Whitman McCallum and Kapena Wilson, were joined by family and friends at the reception.
They also received class awards: for best notebook, Pastore; for best report-writing, Green; for best in firearms, Bandmann; for best in physical fitness, Wilson; for best in self-defense, Bandmann; and for outstanding recruit award, it was a tie between Bandmann and Green.
Kaua‘i Police Department Deputy Chief Harold R. Venneman was the keynote speaker for the class, extolling the virtues of police work.
“You have chosen a cause, not just a profession,” Venneman told the five graduates. “You have chosen a difficult road, (one) that leads to a deeply rewarding life. If you do it right, you will make a difference.” After thanking the recruits’ families for supporting them through their training, Venneman continued that the Kaua‘i’s newest police officers have started a new life, one that requires them to have a partnership with the community.
“Tonight, you not only become police officers, you also become community leaders, community builders,” Venneman continued. “By comporting yourselves well and by responsibly exercising the tremendous powers given to you under the law, you cultivate public confidence and make lawenforcement more efficient.”
The newest officers still leave KPD leaders with a shortage of officers that is continuing to mean a plethora of overtime.
For the next six months or so, the newest officers will still be considered recruits, and will ride with experienced partners until deemed ready to handle a squad car on their own.
