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On-duty HPD
officer accused
of sex assault

It's the 4th case in 17 days
for criminal investigators at
HPD Internal Affairs

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By Rod Ohira
Star-Bulletin

Honolulu police are investigating allegations that a patrol officer sexually assaulted a woman last month while on duty.

This most recent complaint is the fourth case in a span of 17 days that has been assigned to Internal Affairs criminal investigators.

The others are:

The Oct. 3 fatal shooting of Bernard "Chatchi" Crivello, 25, on Tusitala Street in Waikiki by a 29-year-old officer;
The arrest of a 49-year-old officer for negligent homicide and drunken driving following a fatal collision on Oct. 7 on Pali Highway and School Street;
The arrest of a 26-year-old officer last Saturday for an alleged sexual assault on Oct. 13.

No one has yet been charged with committing a crime.

The officers are either on administrative leave, on vacation or assigned to nonpatrol duties. The department has taken away their badges and weapons, pending the outcome of the investigations.

Never before has HPD's image been exposed to controversy by so many officer-related incidents in such a short time.

"We're not pleased with the recent events," Deputy Chief Robert Au said yesterday. "I cannot recall anything happening in succession like these cases."

Yesterday's arrest of a 33-year-old Wahiawa District patrol officer stems from a complaint filed by a woman, 46.

The woman alleges she was assaulted Sept. 30 at a North Shore residence by the officer.

The alleged attack occurred between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., while the officer was on duty, Au said. The woman made a police report Oct. 13.

The officer, a Salt Lake resident who has been with the department 18 months, was notified of the complaint when he reported to work yesterday.

He surrendered to Internal Affairs detectives at the main station. He was booked at 2:05 p.m.

The officer was arrested on one count of felony second-degree sex assault and six counts of misdemeanor fourth-degree sex assault.

He was released at 4:15 p.m., pending further investigation, and assigned to desk duties.

"We've given the case top priority and are in consultation with the prosecutor's office," Au said.

Au would not comment on why the woman waited more than two weeks to report the assault.