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By Rod Thompson, Star-Bulletin
New Hawaii County Police Chief James Correa holds
granddaughter Jazmine Correa, 11 months, after the
Police Commission picked him.

New Big Isle
police chief vows
change, but not
right away

'I'm kind of on an emotional
roller coaster,' he says
after being picked

---

By Rod Thompson
Star-Bulletin

KAILUA-KONA -- Acting Hawaii County Police Chief James Correa assured the public that his selection as the county's new, permanent chief means change will be coming in the department.

But noting that he makes changes only after a thorough analysis, Correa said yesterday that the public shouldn't expect to see changes right away.

One eventual possibility would be getting accreditation for the department, meaning all aspects of it would be reviewed by a national agency, he said.

CAREER MILESTONES Selected Hawaii County's new police chief yesterday, James Correa, 47, will be formally sworn in at a later date by Mayor Harry Kim. Correa's career milestones: 1975: Joined the department. 1980: Appointed Vice Section detective. 1984: Transferred to Criminal Investigation Section. 1986: Promoted to patrol lieutenant. 1989: Promoted to captain. 1994: Promoted to major in charge of Technical Services Division. 1995: Selected deputy chief by then-Chief Wayne Carvalho. Oct. 18, 2000: Became acting chief on Carvalho's retirement.

Change was a key issue during the last three months as the county Police Commission went through the process of picking a successor to Wayne Carvalho, who retired in October.

After Carvalho lost a lawsuit accusing him of participating in cheating on promotions and was spotlighted in public relations gaffs such as accepting a hotel parking place not open to the general public, a perception arose that Carvalho was not properly running the department.

Since Carvalho had selected Correa as his deputy, some people theorized that Correa was too tainted by the association.

But in a series of four public hearings, no charges of wrongdoing arose against him. Many people praised him, including Citizens for Justice spokesman Del Pranke, who normally levels harsh criticism at the department.

A motion yesterday to appoint the other finalist for the post, Honolulu Maj. Robert Prasser, failed 2-5. With one commissioner switching his vote, Correa was then selected 6-1.

Prasser later told the news media: "Jimmy's going to make a great chief. Business at the Hawaii County Police Department will not continue the same as in the past."

Correa praised Prasser equally. "Bob Prasser is is a fine policeman. He's a good administrator. He's a nice man. If they had selected Bob, they would have selected another very good person," Correa said.

Several Prasser supporters made the trip to Kona yesterday, including his daughter Leimomi, a 1992 graduate of Kamehameha Schools. She described tagging along with her father on police patrols and declared her mainland-born father, who eats poke and raw fish, is more local than she is.

One supporter had noted Prasser's sense of humor. After his daughter praised him, Prasser called out from the audience, "Chairman Okabe, just for the record, she's back in my will."

In contrast, Correa seemed a bit overwhelmed by his selection, declaring, "I'm kind of on an emotional roller coaster."

After hugging his wife Adeline, he picked up his 11-month-old granddaughter Jazmine Correa and said, "This is my stress reliever. Every time I have a bad day, I just look at her picture and everything is so simple."