At public swearing-in, new HPD chief pledges to create ‘real and enduring change’

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Honolulu Police Department held a public ceremony Wednesday to swear in Arthur “Joe” Logan as Honolulu’s 12th chief of police.

Logan along with his deputy chiefs, Keith Horikawa and Rade Vanic, were sworn at the Mission Memorial Auditorium.

“It is my goal to create real change and enduring change ― one step at a time from a walk to a full run,” Logan said. “I have the stamina and the willpower to keep moving in a direction that will lead us to accomplishing our goals and objectives.”

This event came following a private swearing-in ceremony that took place about two weeks ago.

Many interpreted it as a secret event, perpetuating the embattled police department’s lack of transparency.

However, Logan said he simply wanted to get to work right away and that there was a lot to do.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, who attended the ceremony Wednesday, congratulated the chief and deputy chiefs and promised his commitment in supporting and working with the department.

“I’m a strong believer in leadership and the difference good leadership makes, and I think it makes all the difference. I could not be more confident than I am in these three men and for that matter the men and women of our police department,” Blangiardi said.

Logan moves into a position that’s seen a high-degree of recent turnover with Susan Ballard abruptly resigning last April and Louis Kealoha being mired in the public corruption scandal. He returns to HPD after previously serving 20 years on the force before moving on to roles with the Hawaii National Guard, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, and Attorney General’s Office.

“I think I’ve prepared myself in my previous life as running the National Guard and so I’ve had the opportunity to lead,” Logan said. “Leadership to me, I won’t say comes easy, but it comes very natural and so being able to help the organization because it’s not Joe Logan’s police department as the next chief. It’s all of our police department.”

The police commission and officers union are confident in Logan’s ability to revamp HPD’s image.

“The department needs to build trust not only with the leadership and the administration, but also with the rank and file,” said Honolulu Police Commission chair Shannon Alivado. “He’s already identified that he’s talked with the personnel, he’s reached out to the union. He’s talked with community leaders.”

In an interview with Sunrise, Logan said among his many goals, he wants to address the issue of overtime abuse within HPD.

“We’re going to ensure that doesn’t happen in the future. We’re going to put in management controls to say that ‘Hey, officers, this is how many hours of overtime you can work in a given period of time, or special duty at the same time,’” Logan said.

That also ties into his top priority of keeping officers and bringing more into the department.

Part of the incentive plan is a pilot program that allows personnel to work three, 12-hour shifts.

HPD currently has 300 vacancies and Logan says filling those spots starts with community outreach.

“To show that the police department has the leadership,” Logan said. “To show that leadership is in and that it’s ready to go and so the people on the outside can take a look and say ‘Hey, this may be an organization I want to belong to.”

Logan also added he’s working on a long-term strategic plan that will be submitted to the police commission and SHOPO.

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