Six Kauaʻi police officers honored as Employees of the Month for September

For their community outreach efforts throughout the year, six officers were honored as Employees of the Month for September during last weekʻs Kaua‘i Police Commission meeting.

School resource officers Kaulana Renaud, Maria Himongala and Johnathan Anderson, Kaua‘i Police Activities League officer Anthony Gayagas, Sgt. Morris Unutoa and Lt. Matthew Tavares of the Kaua‘i Police Department’s Community Engagement Section were recognized for their exceptional leadership and hands-on coordination of three community initiatives: the K-PAL Flag Football Program, the relaunch of the Junior Police Academy, and the fourth annual Touch-A-Truck event.

The K-PAL Flag Football Program served more than 800 keiki during a six-week summer season. Officers were on-site from early morning setups through long days managing equipment, hydration stations, coaching and overall logistics.

Gayagas played a key role in planning and executing the program, ensuring that both participants and volunteers received meals, supplies and seamless coordination.

Throughout the season, officers went above and beyond, with some coaching multiple teams and several of their children volunteering alongside them to support the program.

The team also provided hands-on planning, staffing and supervision for other K-PAL programs throughout the year including boxing, pickleball, wrestling and jujitsu.

The Community Engagement Section also revived the Junior Police Academy, a five-day immersive summer program for high school students that had been on hiatus for six years. The academy gave students a comprehensive overview of the criminal justice system, covering crime scene investigation, forensic science, firearms safety and first aid.

Anderson played a key role in relaunching the program, taking on the responsibilities of coordination and planning. Several participants expressed interest in pursuing careers in law enforcement as a result of the experience.

The fourth annual Touch-A-Truck was a free community event that offered families the opportunity to explore emergency and municipal vehicles up close and meet the everyday heroes who operate them.

The event fostered positive interactions between the community and various emergency service professionals.

As the section supervisor, Tavares was instrumental in planning Touch-A-Truck and provided strong leadership and skillful management across multiple community programs. His operational coordination and commitment to youth development were vital to the success of each initiative.

“The members of this section are passionate about shaping the next generation,” Kauaʻi Police Chief Kalani Ke said in a press release. “Their dedication goes far beyond what the public sees, with countless hours spent planning, preparing, and carrying out these programs. We extend our thanks to the families who support them and commend this team for their dedication to mentoring tomorrow’s leaders.”