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New police chief expected to be picked in October

Candidates will undergo written exam, interview, extensive review process

The Maui Police Commission expects to deliberate on and select a new police chief in October, following a written examination and interviews of five finalists for the job.

Chairman Frank De Rego outlined the proposed schedule for the selection process at an online commission meeting Wednesday.

The finalists are Capt. Everett Ferreira, commander of the Wailuku Patrol Division; former Assistant Chief Larry Hudson; Assistant Chief John Jakubczak, who heads the Uniform Services Bureau; Capt. John Pelletier, bureau commander of Major Violator/Narcotics for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department; and Assistant Chief Victor Ramos, who heads the Investigative Services Bureau.

The closed-book written examination would be administered Sept. 27, followed by a virtual meeting for public testimony on the candidates the next day.

The commission would meet in closed executive session to interview three of the candidates Sept. 29 and the other two Sept. 30, with two hours allotted for each interview.

On Oct. 1, commissioners would deliberate on the final candidates and make a selection, subject to pre-employment requirements, including National Crime Information Center and other background investigations, a drug test, psychological evaluation and credit report, De Rego said.

He said the commission would deliberate on the pre-employment requirements at its Oct. 20 meeting, then vote on the final candidate. If that candidate isn’t selected, the commission would make a selection from the other four finalists or may decide to reopen recruiting for the job, De Rego said.

He said plans could change, depending on whether Mayor Michael Victorino approves a proposal for in-person testing and interviews of the final candidates. The interviews would be done at the University of Hawaii Maui College in rooms allowing for 6-foot distancing, De Rego said. He said a location hadn’t been set for the written examination.

The commission is seeking a new chief to replace Police Chief Tivoli Faaumu, who retired May 1 after a Maui Police Department career of nearly 36 years.

The five finalists were recommended by a temporary investigative group, made up of De Rego and commissioners Janet Kuwahara, Emmett Rodrigues and Mark Redeker, that reviewed applications for the job.

* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.

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