Police recognize
top officers of year

Honors for 2005 go to an
investigator and a burglary detective

A 25-year police veteran who finds missing persons and an officer who recovered hundreds of stolen goods were named the Honolulu Police Department's officers of the year for 2005.

Philip Camero: The investigator spearheaded the child-abduction Maile Alert

Missing persons investigator Philip Camero and acting East Honolulu burglary/theft detective Clement Enoka III were both honored during an HPD awards ceremony as part of Police Week celebrations yesterday morning.

Camero's Missing Person's Section handled more than 1,000 missing and/or endangered persons reports last year, and Camero himself spearheaded HPD's efforts to establish the statewide child abduction alerts system, also known as the Maile Alert, and also helped to get the department's only bloodhound, Annie.

After 11 years of looking for missing hikers, seniors and lost surfers, Camero said he still remembers his first case: Texas native Simon Owen was last seen on June 29, 1994, at Manoa Falls, and has never been found.

"It turned out to be one of the biggest searches of this department," Camero said. "I saw the true heart in people on this island. ... Firefighters, police officers, hundreds of military personnel, all looking for this one man and trying to help his mother find her son.

"I think from that time I was hooked. ... I saw the need for this and really wanted to work this detail."

Clement Enoka III: The detective's work helped dismantle an East Honolulu burglary ring

Enoka was honored for noticing a pattern of burglaries in East Honolulu last year in which the suspects posed as yardmen or landscapers, then broke into homes and stole cars out of garages. Enoka's work enabled police to track the stolen goods to a burglary ring that would pawn the items for money, then use the cash to fund hotel parties involving drugs and gambling.

After a two-month investigation, a task force recovered about $250,000 in stolen property and made 25 arrests, including A-1 Pawn Shop owner Quan Pham, whom police said was the main fence for the burglary ring. Enoka's superiors said it was all because of his good work.

"It's outstanding, really," said East Honolulu burglary/theft Lt. Gilbert Kalingting. "He's patient, methodical and comes up with excellent results."

Enoka has been with the department for 11 years, and coaches sports including football, basketball and volleyball in his free time. Camero is active with his church, where he volunteers as a counselor and youth ministry coordinator.