HONOLULU (KHON2) — Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi says when it comes to the safety of the public, the buck stops with him. And if he’s in charge of that, he should have the power to choose who he wants leading the police department. So he’s calling for a big change.
Right now, the Honolulu Police Commission is in charge of hiring and firing the police chief. But Mayor Blangiardi says it doesn’t make sense for him not to have a say.
Honolulu Police Chief search could stretch into 2026
“If you’re gonna hold the mayor responsible, then give him the commiserate authority,” said Blangiardi. “Not having the authority has led to problems that we just recently went through.”
The last chief, Joe Logan, lasted only three years before retiring. But he’s suing the city to get paid for the final two years of his contract…