The Police Commission on Friday gave Hawaii Police Department Chief Benjamin Moskowicz a positive review for his first year as the Big Island’s top cop, but said in his evaluation letter it is “crucial” the chief “enhances his transparency” with the commission, “particularly in areas where the commission holds oversight authorities.”
The review itself was revealed privately during executive session in the commission’s monthly meeting, which was held in Kona. The commission, in a letter signed by Police Commission Chairman Rick Robinson, also noted Moszkowicz’s transparency with the media and community.
Robinson praised the chief for “actively (engaging) with the public through regular appearances, media interactions and community events such as ‘Coffee with a Cop.’”
“The chief’s approach has been effective in fostering trust and enhancing departmental visibility,” Robinson wrote.
Robinson asked Moszkowicz to improve communications with commissioners by “providing comprehensive updates on internal and external investigations, (State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers union) grievances, and other critical departmental affairs that fall under the Commission’s purview.”
Moszkowicz noted Tuesday he joined HPD after more than two decades in the Honolulu Police Department, so “as with any new relationship, there are always going to be opportunities to grow.”
“I didn’t grow up in the Hawaii Police Department, so the first time I met the commission was during the selection process,” Moszkowicz told the Tribune-Herald. “And the first Police Commission meeting I actually physically attended (as chief), I had been on the job for about a week. So, I attribute that to it being the first year and kind of getting to know each other, what their preferences are, and how I can work to fulfill those.
“I think that will improve in my second year of evaluation, because I have found ways to get them what they need, and I think they have responded to that.”
Robinson said Moszkowicz’s performance was evaluated “across seven key criteria: 1) Strategic Leadership and Implementation, 2) Community Relations and Communication, 3) Improving Relations with Government and Private Agencies, 4) Personnel Management, 5) Education and Training, 6) Fiscal and Budgetary Management, and 7) Priorities for Calendar Year (CY) 2024.”
“Overall, the chief’s performance has been commendable, and with continued focus on these areas, the department is well positioned for future achievements,” the commission chairman wrote. “The Police Commission supports the chief’s ongoing efforts and looks forward to further advancements in the coming year.”
According to the evaluation, Moszkowicz “made significant strides in strategic leadership, community relations, and personnel management.”
The commission praised the chief’s video newsletter to the department, HPDtv, his monthly meetings with SHOPO, his integration of fire department dispatchers into HPD’s call center, his management of the department’s $57 million-plus budget, and how he addressed overtime expenditures through year-round recruiting efforts.
Asked to highlight the accomplishments he’s most proud of, Moszkowicz pointed to “the changes that we made to the recruitment and onboarding process.”
“We’ve hired almost 10% of our sworn personnel in the past 12 months,” he said. “In a career profession of 25 to 30 years average, to stay current, you should be hiring 4% to 5% of your workforce every year. We’ve been able to hire about 12% of our workforce in the last year. And that growth continues.
“… That, by far, is probably the most substantial accomplishment in terms of medium- to long-term success of the department. Having people who can fill beats and fill pukas in the organizational charts is what’s going to drive down response times and help solve crimes faster. It’ll help improve public trust.”
Moszkowicz said he also “inherited, adopted and tweaked” a 180-page strategic plan in February 2023. He said that for this year, he trimmed it to a dozen pages with “six pages of deliverables.”
Regarding areas for improvement, Moszkowicz again mentioned recruitment, saying a priority is to “continue the gains we’ve made.”
“We’re also looking forward to improvements in November when we kick off our new website, with improvements such as our booking log and other data that we can share proactively with the public,” he added. “Certainly, focusing on our accreditation and reaccreditation cycle is a priority. And looking at ways we can use technology to make it easier for officers and staff to do their jobs. And ways we can use grant funding.
“We’ve just hired a new … grant coordinator for the department.” He said the goal of that individual is to “find even more things to do with less county resources.”
Asked how he felt about the evaluation, Moszkowicz replied, “I feel confident.”
“I feel that it pretty fairly characterizes the team’s efforts that we had in the first year,” he said. “And I’m excited to see a second-year evaluation, hopefully, in January, February or March … year, that will be up-to-date and will be able to capture, in real time, what we’ve been able to accomplish.”
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.