Puna police officer accused of burglary, assault

Police arrested a 31-year-old Puna Patrol officer this morning following an incident reported Tuesday in Ka‘u.

The officer, Mark Kealoha Kaili Jr. of Keaau, has been with the Hawaii Police Department for just over two years.

Detectives arrested Kaili at his residence in Hawaiian Paradise Park on suspicion of first-degree burglary and third-degree assault.

The arrest of Kaili stems from an incident reported early Tuesday morning at a residence in Naalehu, where two masked men reportedly entered the 20-year-old victim’s residence and assaulted him.

During the altercation, the victim’s grandfather attempted to intervene, and in the process, unmasked one of the suspects, later identified as Kaili, who was off-duty during the alleged incident, as well as at the time of his arrest.

The other suspect was identified as 27-year-old Cody Kuaili‘aimoku Kanahele, who is the cousin of the victim.

Kanahele was arrested Tuesday a short time after this incident was reported. Later that same day, he was charged with first-degree burglary and third-degree assault.

The Area I Criminal Investigation Division and the HPD’s Office of Professional Standards are continuing the criminal investigation.

The Office of Professional Standards also has initiated a standard internal administrative investigation.

Kaili has been placed on leave without pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

“As with all criminal defendants, it is important to remember that Kanahele and Kaili are considered innocent until proven guilty,” said Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz. “We take all allegations of misconduct by department employees seriously, and I look forward to a thorough timely investigation to determine what happened in this incident.”