Officer Caldwell-Kaai honored for proactive policing

For his tenacity in tracking down leads and apprehending a suspect wanted on both an outstanding warrant and for felony theft offenses, Hawaii Police Department Officer Charles Caldwell-Kaai was recently honored as the Officer of the Month for August by the Kona Crime Prevention Committee (KCPC).

Caldwell-Kaai, who has been a solo patrol officer for only a little more than six months, received the award during a luncheon ceremony on Aug. 4, in Kailua-Kona.

During his tenure, Caldwell-Kaai has distinguished himself with his determination in tracking down individuals with outstanding warrants.

He was also recognized for his efforts in locating and arresting a suspect wanted for the theft of tools in Keauhou. With minimal leads in identifying the suspect initially, Caldwell-Kaai and his partner, Officer Trenton Aurello, went above and beyond to help the victim of the stolen tools.

Searching the area by foot in darkness, the officers came upon two men who both had active warrants for their arrest. One of the men matched the physical description of the suspect in the tool theft, which had been captured on surveillance video. One man was charged for his warrant while the other was charged for his warrant and felony theft offenses.

Spending hours following lead after lead, Caldwell-Kaai was able to locate almost all of the victim’s stolen tools and return them to him.

Every month, the KCPC honors a police officer in west Hawaii as their Officer of the Month. Officers are nominated by their supervisors from the various police districts and a winner is selected by the KCPC board of directors. All officers selected for Officer of the Month are eligible to be selected as the committee’s Officer of the Year.