Interim chief selected following announcement of embattled Kaua‘i police chief’s retirement

The Kaua‘i Police Commission appointed Assistant Chief Elliott Kalani Ke as interim chief following the announcement of Chief Todd Raybuck’s announcement to retire last year.

The decision came during the commission’s Friday meeting where commissioners considered and adopted recommendations of the permitted interaction group tasked with determining the process to hire an Interim Chief of Police.

“The Commission has full confidence in Kalani and appreciates his willingness to serve and lead the Kaua‘i Police Department,” officials stated.

Ke is stepping in after Raybuck, who is facing disciplinary action after reportedly leaving his gun in a police station bathroom, announced his retirement in an internal memo to employees in November. It is unknown when he will leave his position, but officials say Raybuck will retire this year.

“The notice of appointment provides stability and continuity for the Department and enables the Police Commission to conduct an intensive executive search,” officials stated.

Ke is seasoned in law enforcement on Kaua‘i as he started his career with the department in 1999 as a Patrol Services Bureau officer. Over the past 13 years, he has served in various roles, including Patrol Officer, Traffic Safety Officer, Drug Abuse Resistance Education Officer, and Vice Officer in the Investigative Services Bureau.

In 2012, Ke was promoted to Sergeant and joined the Chief’s Office in Internal Affairs. Two years later, he advanced to Lieutenant in the Criminal Intelligence Unit within the same office. By 2016, he had risen to the rank of Captain, a role he maintained for four years until his promotion to Assistant Chief in 2020.

Ke also holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Bethel University, is an alumnus of the FBI National Academy in 2015, and has been honored with several awards, including the police department’s Employee of the Year, Top Cop, and the Hawaiʽi State Law Enforcement Officials Association’s Officer of the Year in 2008.

Commissioners also acted on a draft job description and advertisement to solicit applications for chief as well as the formation of a permitted interaction group to formulate recommendations for the reviewing and scoring of applications.