LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i Police Department Chief Todd Raybuck will face a five-day unpaid suspension for violating the county’s discrimination codes for comments made mocking those of Asian descent.
The suspension will occur April 26 to 30, and Raybuck will also complete Equal Employment Opportunity and Cultural Sensitivity Training per the county’s Police Commission, according to a KPD statement.
“I value and appreciate diversity in the workplace and within the community,” Raybuck said. “I accept responsibility for my comments and will continue to use this experience to expand my cultural awareness and increase my knowledge and understanding of different cultures.”
A September 2020 complaint to the Police Commission alleged Raybuck had violated civil-service laws and policies against discrimination. This led to separate investigations by the commission and the county’s Department of Human Resources.
The investigations found Raybuck, hired in 2019, guilty of violating discrimination ethics on two occasions, once in November 2019 and once in July 2020.
In the July 2020 incident, Raybuck made broad stereotypes about Japanese culture paired with squinting and bowing. These comments, according to the September 2020 complaint, were said during a meeting in which Raybuck was explaining why an employee of Japanese descent was not chosen for a promotion.
The DHR concluded that there was no evidence to support Raybuck’s failure to promote the employee based upon the employee’s ancestry, race or national origin, and did not violate civil-service laws or rules, according to a KPD statement.
An independent review panel convened to do a separate review of recruitment material for an
assistant-chief position, according to a separate document obtained by The Garden Island written by DHR Director Annette Anderson.
In a November 2019 incident, Raybuck met with command staff and told a story about an Asian customer in a fast-food restaurant, making facial gestures and using an accent.
Following reports of the complaint and sustained allegations, the State of Hawai‘i Organization of Police Officers called for Raybuck’s immediate resignation on March 11. Raybuck made an official apology video on social media in mid-March.
“I recognize now and accept that my comments were insensitive and improper as the chief of police,” Raybuck said in that video, in which he also said he respected the findings of the Police Commission investigation and will accept any disciplinary action.
According to the county’s fiscal-year 2021 budget, Raybuck earns $137,022 a year.
“Moving forward, I am even more committed to serving this great community and doing the work necessary to maintain the confidence of the Police Commission and the employees of the Kaua‘i Police Department,” Raybuck said in a statement.
A request for an interview with Raybuck through a KPD spokesperson went unreturned.
Why would he even take this job? He makes the same salary in pension from Nevada without all the aggravation of dealing with Kauai politics… just go home dude and enjoy freedom from this ridiculous place. It’s oblivious the powers that be are out to get you.
What a joke!!!!! 5 Day Unpaid Suspension…..Once a racist always a racist. What are the Mayor and the County Counsel thinking here?
How many times a day do you use the “haole” word, Simp?
Why does that matter??? What’s wrong with saying Haole Simp???
Living with pressure everyday you remain as Chief, Chief! Welcome to how people have to rely living in our parks feel. Hopefully this means if you act like a child again, BYE BYE.
Kauai deserves better !!
Hardly a slap on the wrist. They thought they could us that bs social justice hypocrisy here as a way to get him out. There was a reason he was brought in. And trust me when I tell you that if he is effective or started to affect the “business dealings” some
Of the crooked cops have. Then he’s gotta go.
The problem is, that our voted or appointed hierarchy are the “children” who have a temper tantrm, when they dont get their way. A lot of authors have outlined correctly these poor behaviors. These circus clowns are what americans have had planned for decades. The Aloha spirit has been challenged and the entire group has shown without a shadow of doubt, because WE have lived it, how they roll! A lot of peoples including japanese american are “over it” and the A’ama crab doing the slide can no longer run and hide! Top to bottom the Kealoha stolen mailbox fraud and the USAF “settles” on Kauai to build a 12-story launch-intercept facility at PMRF are just two of thousands of underground mob-style manipulations and maneuvers that closed Polihale because the “locals” were acting poorly. The reality is that civilians are unsafe in that zone from two ridges Napali that boasts NASA, navy military, as well as taking over the entire mana region that makes Kauai a bullseye to those of the CCP or NK. We need to rewrite history and straighten the crooked american lines drawn in every moku sandbox of the politicojudiciaromilitary. cc to Der-Ika who TGI published, we were going to “cut bait” if we dont follow kealoha-kollar C-rules, and therein lies the tip of the iceberg yet to be called out for their lawless behavior that many of us have experienced, ie. the cocopalms handson attacks of an elder wahine by bailiff and sheriff via directives of the presiding judge hearing, or the Z-attorney kuleana land ownership claims or where judges are purchased to do the bidding of known corrupted judiciary attorney out from moku o Keawe to the KKCR headquarters! My book will soon be published and i intend to blow the doors off everyone i know that now needs to “go now hawaii, why pay more” as Lex Brodie often remarked in his advertising campaign. lOOk around Lahui, were you raised to be like them? Insatiable greed, gucci wear and go-pro 9, or wealth unbecomming to the criminals instead of the hard-working that made their own way, working 3-jobs employment and still managing to raise our children with truth and integrity! Lots of kupuna iwi have disinterred from rolling around in their McBryde/GroveFarm/Robinson et al gravesites, against the sons and daughters they reared but that have instead practiced hewa loa against these once amazing group of islands! Ive got 65-years experiences to the 128-years these american wannabees have screwed blued and tatooed their own geneologies. Veterans following orders are free from being critiqued herein and are thanked to the high heavens, OR that this USAF brat actually learned from them by “paying strict attention”, and i am unafraid to bring the brightest light to the darkest days past, present and future!
We really going sit here and pretend that Asians especially Japanese are discriminated against in Hawaii? Bwahahaha K how many times the guy who complained about the Police Chief said fn hoale this and fn haole that??
It is 2021….the children are in charge……I mean this Blue State is run by children.
“Racist” means nothing these days. Everything is feelings, emotions, and getting “triggered”.
You sure the hell got that right!!!
What a joke! If it was a black joke, he would have been fired!
Mocking any culture is ridiculous for a so-called leader. Shows total lack of leadership ability and proves he’s the wrong person for the job. Fire him.
Completely overblown. Just going after him because he is not born and raised.
If I were chief of police, I doubt that I’d promote anyone of local origin on this island. It’s unbelievable how many local cops look the other way when even a distant cousin or relative is being a lawless jerk. I’ve seen it happen so often that I expect it to happen. Drunk driver’s who can barely walk who get nothing but a “warning?” Seriously?
I feel much safer that we keep a police officer at his house for a week and not pay him or his family. Really?
In my experience, the Dept of Human Resources covers up for the misdeeds of COK management. The employee who was discriminated against needs to file a complaint with the EEOC for a fair, impartial investigation.
Let those without sin, any body pretending innocence is a liar, we all have said things we shouldn’t have even a chief of police can make a mistake. If the man is a good cop he should do what all of us should do, learn a hard lesson and move on.
Filing an EEOC with HCRC is a joke. The lazy bums at HCRC would not subpoena records when they have the authority to do so.
If anyone in the state of Hawaii wants to file an EEOC, file with the feds. HCRC is corrupt and will sabotage your complaint like how the Kauai Courts will sabotage your trial and violate your civil rights for a fair trial.
Anyone and everyone who was born and raised, moved to Hawaii and lived long enough, know that this is the norm.
The county of Kauai HR department is a joke as well. 4 county audits by a third party organization has proven public corruption within the county of Kauai departments.
This attack against the Chief is the same attack KPD old guard dogs did against former Kauai Police chiefs Freitas and Lum.
Kauai gets what it deserves when nepotism and power hungry plantation families stay in power.
Recent investigations on Oahu that has exposed public corruption and crimes happens on all island including Kauai. The planning department on Oahu has exposed all planning departments like the Kealoha’s has exposed all police departments in the state of Hawaii.
If you all have not been paying attention for the last decade, you wouldn’t have noticed the significant events that has exposed public corruption in the state of Hawaii at historic levels and at a record never seen before since the Charles Marshland Jr. days.
Kauai PD and the Kauai County Prosecutor are being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI for civil rights abuses.
“Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland on Friday jettisoned Trump-era restrictions that curtailed the Justice Department’s ability to reform troubled police departments, a move that will open the door for federal authorities to again investigate law enforcement agencies and hold them to account for civil rights abuses.” Ref: Los Angeles Times 4/16/21.
Who set up Aurero Moore’s murder?
It was a former Kauai prosecutor (hired the uncle of the murderer to find Moore) and former kpd sgt (uncle of the murderer).
Aurero Moore’s execution style murder was set up at Anahola beach by county of Kauai and state of Hawaii public officials.
Review the entirety of that case.
People know and people are not speaking but the truth fight to be exposed one day before another murder is set up by these people.
They’ve tried several times to set up another murder(s). That adulterous team was and still is one of Kauai’s most dangerous people of interest.
They might be tied to another missing person(s) case (Napoleon Ray).
This might have been through cyber stalking and intercepting his calls because he was going to rat out some people and the podagee mafia family.
I remember sometime back, before all the unregulated building growth and large influx of malihinis, the only bias experienced in Hawai’i came from some in the military community and/or people who recently moved to the islands. Most locals of all races got along well and we even had people like Frank De Lima (Franklin Wilcox Napuakekaulike De Lima) making jokes about the different ethnicities without causing stink. Frank was funny and so were his harmless jokes with people in the audience laughing and having a good time. Hawaii was a melting pot. Crime was low and people treated each other with aloha.
Now, the jokes no longer are funny because some are using it as a way to keep others from being promoted, get work or just plain malicious putdowns. There has always been no place for bias in our State government and people are treated with respect regardless of their race or ethnic background.
So for those who see no harm in the Chief’s comments, they are obviously malihinis who want the Aloha culture to be like that on the mainland-malicious and unkind. For those people I say, there is lots of ocean front property on the mainland folks!
What a sham this county governing body is, you suspend an honest public servant over a recorded statement but a convicted drug dealer/user retains a council seat?
Patrick Flores, Wailua Houselots
The chiefs response to the Commission is both admirable and righteous. Standing above the fray and letting the accusations of racism not cloud his better judgement of his job in law enforcement shows true leadership. The only thing he is guilty of is believing he can use the same “locker room” talk as his subordinates do among themselves. And for that he has shown contrition. Moving forward Kauai is in great need of the chief and his success as a community leader dedicated “to serve and protect.” Thank you for your service Chief Raybuck! Please continue!
As long as that “Haole” word keeps floating freely on this island, don’t start playing the race card just because someone imitates what you look like.
He needs to be terminated!!!
I am a third generation Japanese American, I have relatives that fought in the 442, this guy does a clueless dis service to the community of Kauai, he is NOT fit to be a leader in our police department and we pay his salary with our tax money…wake up we should have promoted with in the department. Where does a moron like this get a job on our island? Leadership is not borne from racism and prejudice unless you see some other way? how can you justify these words and thoughts? You don’t just one day become not become a racist because you say so. WAKE UP.
Ahh yes yes yes. So sorry. So sorry
I guess Frank Delima and Andy Bumati are out of a job.
Hawaii used to be a true integrated society wherever could all make fun if each other and realize it was in fun,b yes there was prejudice but not like now. I have been accosted twice this past year because of my race.
Why would someone from Las Vegas, NV ever accept a job on Kauai except as a free ride to the ISLAND. He had NO idea how to treat the Local people nor their customs. Typical uneducated Hoaole from the Mainland. This really bother’s me as there is no WAY you could convince me you didn’t have someone from the Department that WASN’T qualified for the JOB. I am really disappointed in the Local people.
Do you care about stopping drugs and crime or that the person makes you feel good inside because he’s an anti racist cuck? I’ll take the insensitive choice of words and busting meth dealers over the latter.
The chief didn’t know that he couldn’t make comments about other ethnicities until he had been here some unspecified time. That time is when braddahs say “hey, you okay for one haole”…
HAHAHA… Lived here all my life and can’t even count the number of times I’ve been called a Haole. And yet, white dude gets called out for doing something every single person has done atleast once in their life. Hope ya’ll are free of sin and perfect.
The man(and I use the term loosely) has apologized and let that be a hard lesson to him.
“PEOPLE GET OVER IT!”