Young girl The 13-year-old daughter of a Honolulu police officer who died in the line of duty had a message last night for other police families coping with the same kind of loss:
offers hope
in tragedy
Her experience helps
Officer of Year helped bust gambling ring
Tiffany Bayne-Aiu offer advice
to a slain officer's family
Police seek witnesses to officer's death By Rod Antone
Star Bulletin"Things will get better, just not right away."
Tiffany Bayne-Aiu was 7 years old when her father, officer Bryant Bayne along with fellow officer, "uncle" Tate Kahakai, were killed in a 1995 helicopter crash.
Speaking before a packed St. Andrews Cathedral, Bayne-Aiu said at first, she did not quite understand the situation.
"I expected to be able to see my dad in the hospital in a couple of days," she said.
Later, she said her family gathered at Sacred Hearts Church where she thought she would be reunited with her father.
"I asked everybody, 'Is he here? Is he all right?'"
Bayne-Aiu said once someone explained what had happened, her young mind shut down.
"At that moment I couldn't do anything. I couldn't talk, I couldn't look at anyone, I couldn't even cry. I was just too shocked to do anything."
Bayne-Aiu's recollection echoes that of family members of Officer Dannygriggs Padayao, who was the most recent police officer killed, on April 30.
In an interview earlier this month, Padayao's stepsister recalled exactly where she was in her Summerset, Illinois home when she first got word that Danny was dead.
"Oh my God - I was in the shower, my dad called and my husband answered," said Johnette Palumbo. "I lost it. I was in shock. All of this. ... I'm still pretty much in shock."
Padayao's loved ones took up two pews at St. Andrews. While the memorial service paid special tribute to Padayao, it was held in honor of all HPD officers who have fallen in the line of duty since 1903.
Recalling her father's burial service, Bayne-Aiu said, "There was so much pain in my heart that I felt like it was cut in half and that there was a sword running through it."
But, Bayne-Aiu said, eventually the memories start to heal instead of hurt.
"I know now that he continues to be honored for what he died for," she said. "I still miss my dad and think of him every day."
Police chief Lee Donohue says that 36 officers, including Padayao, have been killed in the line of duty or while in service.
"He wore the HPD uniform proudly," said Donohue about Padayao, "and we were proud to have him as a brother."
Padayao was born in Laupahoehoe, Hawaii on March 7, 1955 and is a 1973 graduate of Castle High School. He was appointed to the department in 1982 and worked the Kalihi district for 14 and a half years.
Padayao transferred to the Kaneohe district in 1998 and had been working there until his death last month.
Yesterday's service was a part of HPD's observance of police week. Family services for Padayao take place tonight, at 7 p.m. at Diamond Head Mortuary. A second ceremony with full police honors takes place at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow, also at Diamond Head Mortuary.
Burial for Padayao is scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery in Kaneohe.
A Honolulu police officer who posed as a crooked cop for 32 months as part of an undercover gambling and money-laundering investigation is the 2001 Police Officer of the year. Officer of Year helped
bust gambling setupEarl Koanui and others were
Star-Bulletin staff
honored for their contributionsDetective Earl Koanui, of the Narcotics/Vice Division, was bestowed the honor during an awards ceremony yesterday. He was instrumental in the indictments of more than 30 people in a Chinatown gambling operation.
"I did my job, that's all," Koanui said on May 19, 2000.
Alan Kang, a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service by day, was named Reserve Officer of the Year.
He worked more than 470 volunteer hours in the Human Resources Division during the past year, nearly double the minimum number of hours required.
Officer Anthony "Tony" Shimizu was named Police Parent of the Year. In June, his daughter Alyshia, 6, was injured and quickly came down with a life-threatening infection. He took care of his other four children while his wife and Alyshia went to Sacramento for treatment.
Leona Yuen, a reports reviewer for the follow-up unit of the Records and Identification Division, received the Civilian Employee of the Year award.
Her supervisor said she was an exceptionally dedicated employee who occasionally has to be ordered to go home.
She also took on extra assignments and had perfect attendance last year.
The ceremony was sponsored by the 200 Club, which was formed in 1968 by a group of local business people to provide immediate aid to families of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty.
It also sponsors HPD programs and educational opportunities for officers.
Honolulu police are asking for more witnesses in their investigation of the death of Officer Dannygriggs Padayao who died April 30 after he was struck by a motorist while trying to secure a traffic accident scene. Padayao will receive full police honors when he is laid to rest tomorrow. Police still seek help
on officer’s deathAnyone who saw the
By Nelson Daranciang
truck that hit the officer
is asked to please call
Star-BulletinPolice are asking for anyone who may have seen the vehicle that struck Padayao -- a 1994 dark blue full-size Chevrolet pickup truck, license GYN-010 and pipe racks in the pickup bed -- or its driver, in the evening hours before the accident to call the Traffic Division at 529-3499 or CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
"It is extremely important that if you did see that vehicle or that driver on that evening please give us a call.
"We of course would like you to be able to identify yourself if you care to and give us information," said Maj. Jeffrey Owens, Traffic Division Commander.
The pickup truck was traveling toward Kaneohe on Kamehameha Highway near the intersection with Johnson Road when it struck Padayao and threw him into the path of another pickup truck traveling in the opposite direction. Padayao, 46, was laying out flares to direct traffic around an earlier accident.
Police believe the driver may have stopped at a convenience store along the way.
They also believe that the pickup truck passed several vehicles traveling in the same direction prior to reaching the area where Padayao was struck and killed.
The pickup truck stopped after it struck Padayao. The driver got out and fled on foot. Police arrested a 22-year-old man at a home nearby for driving under the influence of alcohol, negligent homicide and failing to render aid. They later released him without charges.
"This does not mean that we won't have a case. What this means is that we simply want to gather all the factual information that we can," Owens said.
Padayao's funeral service begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Diamond Head Mortuary at 535 18th Ave. Chief Lee Donohue will speak at the service which will be conducted by two HPD chaplains.
A bagpipe band will play outside the chapel during visitation prior to the service.
Uniformed officers from HPD, neighbor island police departments, Honolulu Fire Department, other city agencies, state agencies including the Department of the Attorney General and Department of Public Safety and federal agencies including the military will stand in formation outside the chapel. Police officers will serve as pall bearers.
At noon the funeral procession will proceed downtown to allow employees at police headquarters on Beretania Street to pay final respects.
From there the procession travels to Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery, 45-425 Kamehameha Hwy., in Kaneohe for a graveside service at 1:00 p.m. and burial.
The police helicopter will drop flowers over the grave site.
HPD does not offer financial assistance to the families of fallen officers but does work with them to determine the department's level of involvement in the services, said Capt. David Kajihiro of HPD's Human Services Division.
"It's really up to the family if it wants full honors," Kajihiro said.