Kapolei Police Officers Spend Off-duty Time Helping Community

Kapolei Station-based HPD officers (from left) Shannon Dresser, Mike Dela Cruz and Jody Willard read to more than 100 keiki at Kapolei Library during Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month. Photo from Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii.

A group of Honolulu Police Department officers stopped by Kapolei Library to read to keiki April 24 during family story time with a special message.

Officers Shannon Dresser (who is also Miss Hawaii Intercontinental 2013), Mike Dela Cruz, Jody Willard and Tanya Fiaseu, who all work out of HPD’s Kapolei Station, read to more than 100 children in an effort to raise awareness about child abuse.

The event was part of Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii and The Parent Line from Child and Family Service’s family storytimes across the island to mark Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month. According to the nonprofit Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii, reading aloud to your children strengthens a parent-child bond.

That’s not all HPD officers have been up to recently. City Councilmen Ron Menor and Breene Harimoto honored HPD’s District 3 Community Policing Team April 16 for its dedication to serving the residents of Waipahu, Waipio, Kunia, Waikele, Pearl City and Aiea.

The community policing team officers often work with various schools, businesses and community groups to help with efforts like cleanups, crime prevention seminars and homeless outreach projects.

“Over the years, the community has come to love and respect the District 3 Community Policing Team because of each team member’s passion for public service and commitment to the public’s well-being,” stated Menor (Council District 9). “The team constantly and consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty to work with everyone for the betterment of our community. Our best and warmest wishes to these hardworking officers for good health and continued success.”

“By working closely with the public,” added Harimoto (District 8), “the dedicated officers from District 3’s Community Policing Team have built stronger relationships and positively impacted the community.”