Chief Kealoha: “you must do things that you think you cannot do”

Chief of Honolulu Police Department, Louis Kealoha, also known as ‘Louie’ says his new role is “challenging at times.” Kealoha jumped ranks from Captain to Honolulu Police Chief in November, “Coming from captain and being appointed Chief is literally night and day for what you have to learn. I literally jumped form the bottom to the top overnight.” This achievement was last done over 19 years ago.
Curtis Lom Police reporter for the Advertiser “The cops I’ve been speaking to seem to be happy with him and like the choice. The union supported him in the selection process.” Lom added, “he came in on a positive note, he didn’t have to prove himself. The union opposed the previous Chief and I don’t think he ever got over that.”
Chief Kealoha has a five-year plan to change the management and to lift morale in department. He plans to do this with an open door, and be friendly and approachable. “That is the direction that this administration wants to take. We want to strengthen the bonds between the people and the police,” said Kealoha. “I was appointed Chief and the next day the deputy chiefs announced their retirement.” Kealoha added, “one of the keys is to surround yourself with good people.”
Until now, Kealoha was Captain of the Juvenile Services Division. He's from Kalihi, and is a Damien Memorial School grad. He was not an exceptional student at Damien although he went on to earn a doctorate at USC. He said, “learning how to handle adversity is often more important than success itself.”
“I wasn’t a good student and I was looking for a new path to success, I tried sports and I wasn’t good at that.” He was on the Damien football team for two seasons although spent a lot of his time on the bench. Kealoha said the climb to the top was a difficult one, “Everybody wants to talk to me now. But no one wanted to talk to me when I was sitting on the bench at football.” Which could give insight into his new book, “Lessons from the bench.”
Kealoha places a lot of emphasis on further learning with an accomplished education he believes, “…[for the officers] to move ahead in the department and in their careers they will need higher education.” Although it wasn’t always smooth studying for Kealoha, “I was a horrible student. In high school I was at the bottom of my graduating class.”
When asked who supported him to get to where he is now, “I cannot tell you how blessed I am to have my wife Cathy.” Kealoha added, “Eleanor Roosevelt also inspired me to go back to school and do the doctoral and apply as Chief. She said ‘you must do the things that you think you cannot do.’”