Puna officer named ‘Top Cop’ for 2015

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Puna Patrol Officer Lloyd Ishikawa was named the Hawaii Police Department’s 2015 “Top Cop” by the Law Enforce- ment/Security Coalition of Hawaii.

Puna Patrol Officer Lloyd Ishikawa was named the Hawaii Police Department’s 2015 “Top Cop” by the Law Enforce- ment/Security Coalition of Hawaii.

Capt. Samuel Jelsma said Ishikawa, a 29-year veteran, has a near-perfect work attendance record.

In nomination papers, Jelsma cited five exceptional cases in which Ishikawa located wanted felons and high-risk suspects.

In one, Ishikawa located a suspect wanted for his role in a string of vehicle thefts and burglaries in Hilo and Puna.

The wanted man sped toward Ishikawa’s vehicle, swerving away at the last minute, and then raced down Highway 11 and drove directly toward two special duty police officers working in a construction zone.

One officer fired toward the suspect, who sped away and later abandoned his car.

In that case, Jelsma said, Ishikawa’s prior observations and identification of the suspect were key in obtaining a search warrant for the mother of the suspect. That led to the man’s arrest and to charges of terroristic threatening, reckless endangering, auto theft and assorted drug and weapons offenses.

According to Jelsma, Ishikawa has the drive and energy of a new recruit.

“Throughout the years, he has developed an unmatched informant base, becoming the ‘go-to guy’ for other officers and detectives seeking a suspect,” Jelsma said.

The prestigious award was presented to Jelsma on behalf of Ishikawa recently at the Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki.