Kaua‘i Police names new deputy chief after position was vacant for 2 years

Kaua‘i Police Department’s Mark Ozaki was named the new deputy chief, effective Oct. 1, after two years of the second-in-command position being vacant.

Ozaki, born and raised on Kaua‘i, has been on the police force for 25 years. Joining the department in 1999, Ozaki has worked a wide variety of assignments in every division and has consistently risen through the ranks.

Ozaki has been the driving force behind many programs and initiatives including the Kaua‘i Police Activities League, Peer Support Program, and Crisis Intervention Training program, to name a few.

“Mark is a person of very high character,” said Chief Todd Raybuck. “His dedication to the department and the Kaua‘i community is well known and he has earned a broad-based reputation for integrity and excellence. Mark is a team builder, and his appointment represents a significant step forward for the department.

“I am very thankful to Mark and his family for his willingness to take on this important role.”

Ozaki graduated from Waimea High School and attended the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. He is a 2020 graduate of the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. For years, Ozaki has been highly dedicated to his family and youth programs as a coach and mentor to many of Kaua’i’s young people.

“I am most looking forward to supporting the men and women of the Kaua`i Police Department in the amazing work they perform every day,” Ozaki said. “I love God, my family, the island of Kaua`i, this department and our people, and I am honored to have the opportunity to take on this responsibility and help move the organization forward.”