The confirmation of Landon Kaneshiro as a member of the Honolulu Police Commission drew public testimony describing an alleged May 5 incident in Ewa Beach in which a woman was forcibly removed from a vehicle and allegedly battered by multiple officers. Commenters said they have filed complaints with the Police Commission and sought preservation of evidence; the council referred the matter to the Committee on Public Safety and Customer Services.

Why it matters: The Police Commission reviews complaints and can initiate investigations; however, under current practice the commission may recommend discipline but the police chief is responsible for imposing punishment. Public testimony raised questions about accountability and whether the commission’s authority should be expanded.

What speakers said: Shelby Billionaire, a public testifier, recounted that a family member was assaulted after officers entered a vehicle. “She gets two black eyes, tased four times … she cannot walk. She’s temporarily disabled,” Billionaire said, describing what she called “assault and battery” and saying the family was considering a civil lawsuit.

Joseph Akana, who also testified about the same incident, said officers “forcibly entered our vehicle despite being told not to,” described repeated punching and tasing, and said the victim had been charged with assaulting a police officer. Akana said: “We filed with the police commission already, and we've also filed UIPA…we filed to preserve the integrity of the data, the body cams, dash cams, all of the information related to the case.”

Council responses: Chair Waters told the public that the commission could initiate an investigation but that discipline is handled by the police chief; she suggested the Charter Commission could review the allocation of disciplinary authority. The council also noted the confirmation would be handled in committee; the motion referring Resolution 25-101 was recorded as a referral to the committee on public safety and customer services.

Other public-safety testimony: Angela Melody Young, safety coordinator for Kapalama Neighborhood Security Watch, urged the nominee and the commission to focus on transparency and community engagement. The nominee, Landon Kaneshiro, appeared before the council but made no detailed public statements about the incident; he said he looked forward to “serving on this commission.”

Action taken: The council referred Resolution 25-101, confirming Landon Kaneshiro to the Police Commission, to the Committee on Public Safety and Customer Services. The allegations raised by testifiers were also referred for committee consideration and the complainants reported they had filed complaints and information-preservation requests.

Next steps: The committee will hold hearings on the nominee and may schedule briefings with the Police Commission, Honolulu Police Department and complainants. The Charter Commission’s role in defining disciplinary authority may also be raised in follow-up discussion.