Police Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz has announced the promotion of three officers — one from captain to major and two from lieutenant to captain, effective April 1.
Thomas Shopay III, a 23-year veteran of Hawaii Police Department, was promoted to major and assigned to the Technical Services Division, responsible for overseeing the department’s Communications Dispatch Center, Communications Maintenance Section, Computer Center, Records and Identification Section, and Traffic Services Section.
He most recently served as captain of Kona Criminal Investigation Division. Prior to that, Shopay served as a lieutenant in the Kona Criminal Investigation Section and Kona Patrol, and commander of the Special Response Team, the department’s SWAT unit.
Shopay graduated in September 2014 from the FBI National Academy. In August 2012, he received the department’s second-highest honor, the Silver Medal of Valor, for risking his personal safety barricading explosive ordinance found near an electric plant.
Tuckloy Aurello, a 20-year veteran of the department, was promoted to captain and assigned to the Criminal Intelligence Unit/Internal Affairs. Aurello most recently served as lieutenant of the Records and Identification Section. He previously served as lieutenant of Hilo Patrol and a detective in Hilo Juvenile Aid Section and Criminal Investigation Sections.
Aurello received the Officer of the Month award from the Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawaii in July 2006 for his work investigating a burglary in a Keaau subdivision. He graduated from the FBI National Academy in June 2022.
Brian Prudencio, a 23-year veteran of the department, was promoted to captain and assigned to the Kona Criminal Investigation Division, overseeing Vice, Juvenile Aid and Criminal Investigation Sections. He most recently served as lieutenant of Accreditation. Prior to that, Prudencio served as a detective in the Office of Professional Standards, Hilo Juvenile Aid Section and Kona Vice.
In 2008, Prudencio received the Officer of the Year award by the Hawaii State Law Enforcement Officials Association. That same year he was also named Officer of the Year by the Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawaii for his work as a Vice officer on the Ice Task Force. He was also named Officer of the Month for July and August 2007 for his work as a vice officer.