Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaii and the Hawaii Department of Transportation honored five personnel in June from the Hawaii Police Department for their efforts to fight drunk and drugged driving and reduce injuries and deaths on island roadways.
Three were honored in Hilo and two were honored in Kona. Recognized for their efforts were HPD’s Traffic Services Manager Torey Keltner, Officer Jason Miyashiro, Officer Lawrence Kobayashi, Officer John Harvey and Officer Adam Roberg.
“The work that traffic enforcement officers do in the field, pulling over suspected impaired drivers, preventing them from driving on our roads, helps saves lives,” says Police Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz in a news release. During his tenure with the Honolulu Police Department, Moszkowicz served as major of the traffic division, receiving a lifetime achievement award from MADD in 2019.
“We honor those who are doing exemplary work in the field, as well as their families who support them,” added Moszkowicz, noting that traffic enforcement efforts and drug evaluations often occur in the field at non-traditional times, which can impact the families of officers.
Throughout nine years at the Hawaii Police Department, Keltner has played a major role in managing grants to conduct impaired driving enforcement operations for the department, securing $485,948 in grant funding in 2023. His persistence and coordination of nationally recognized training for personnel has ensured they have the skill and ability to successfully prosecute impaired drivers.
Known for his traffic and impaired driver enforcement efforts, Officer Kobayashi has served in the South Hilo district for most of his 23-year career with HPD. In 2023, he issued 746 traffic citations, completed 46 “Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of an Intoxicant” arrests and investigations, and generated 1,068 additional investigations. MADD previously honored Kobayashi in 2018 and 2019.
Officer Harvey has been with HPD for just four years and has made it his mission to enforce traffic laws and arrest impaired drivers to make roads safer. In the past year, he issued 2,081 traffic citations, arrested 24 impaired drivers and conducted nine DRE evaluations. After being a Drug Recognition Expert for just one year, Harvey was selected to become a DRE instructor.
Officer Roberg is assigned to the Area II West Hawaii Traffic Enforcement Unit and was recognized for his enforcement actions and commitment to educating colleagues about the signs of impaired driving through his role as a DRE instructor. Throughout his 14-year career with HPD, Roberg has conducted 78 DRE evaluations and was honored by MADD in 2015 and 2018 for his commitment to creating safer roadways.
Retired HPD Major Kurt Kendro is a volunteer with MADD. Before announcing the honorees in Hilo and Kona, he described losing two fellow officers to impaired drivers.
“Doing what you do, putting these programs together and working to eliminate impaired drivers on our streets makes a difference on our roads. We appreciate all the hard work you do,” said Kendro.
Sarah Yamanaka covers news and events for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.