WAILUKU - Maui County Police Chief Tom Phillips announced Friday afternoon that he will end his more than 30-year career with the Maui Police Department and retire effective June 1.
Phillips, 55, has spent almost 11 years as Maui County's top cop. He was initially hired in 1976.
"I felt like it was time. I'm just ready to go," Phillips said on Friday. "I feel really good about the department."
Phillips said he wants to spend time with his grandchildren and aging parents as well as travel and work on home-improvement projects.
The void left by Phillips will be felt by the union that represents several hundred Maui County police officers and by members of the Police Commission.
"We always had a good working relationship," said George Kaho'ohanohano, the Maui business agent for the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers and a former police captain under Phillips. "Granted, you don't see eye to eye on every situation, but we were always able to come up with something acceptable on both sides. That's what working relationships are. I (also) consider him to be a personal friend."
Police Commission Chairwoman Doreen Gomes said Phillips will be missed.
"The chief has been excellent to work with. He's very accommodating with the commission, and so is his staff.
It's going to be difficult to fill his shoes, I'm sure," Gomes said.
The commission will discuss and finalize the chief of police application and selection process at its next meeting, on March 9. When a new chief is selected, the chief will then appoint his or her deputy. Now, that position is held by Deputy Chief Gary Yabuta.
Phillips said his retirement had nothing to do with his job nor the police chief salary issue being mulled over by the county Salary Commission.
Phillips and the Police Commission have asked the Salary Commission to increase the salary for the chief and his deputy because assistant chiefs make more money. By law, their salaries are based on the negotiated pay schedules with union employees. Currently, the chief and his deputy annually earn $113,100 and $107,200, respectively. The assistant chiefs earn between $113,196 and $121,932.
Phillips said he was planning to retire this year and wasn't concerned about his own salary, but he said it may be difficult to find a replacement for the police chief position because of the pay disparity with assistant chiefs.
Gomes said she anticipates the salary issue could have some effect on who applies for the job, but she expects there will be applicants.
She said the commission is in favor of a salary increase for the chief and deputy but understands Mayor Charmaine Tavares' position that the poor economy makes it a bad time for government pay raises.
Last year, Tavares asked that neither she nor any of her directors get raises, citing the county's tight fiscal situation and saying it would be inappropriate.
Phillips acknowledged that his job wasn't always the easiest and there were some hard times along with rewarding ones.
"The work part is not hard," he said. "Being scrutinized by the media and the public isn't hard either; you expect that. The hard thing is during my time as chief, we lost two officers in the line of duty; that is hard. For me, that's the worst thing to go through."
On Aug. 9, 1999, officer Gene Williams died after being struck by a car while directing traffic at a West Maui highway-construction site. On Nov. 9 of the same year, officer Cerilo Agarano Jr. died of a heart attack while on an undercover assignment in rural Wailuku.
Phillips said he has taken pride in seeing his department perform in a range of situations ranging from major criminal cases to crime-prevention programs.
"(It) was so rewarding to see things from the big vice cases to just the sorting out of domestic violence situations or prevention situations," he said. "It's all rewarding."
Among Phillips' most challenging assignments was preparing for accreditation of the Police Department while he was a major under former Police Chief Howard Tagomori in 1996, when the department first got accredited. The department has been reaccredited four times, all under Phillips' watch as chief.
"I think that really shows the dedication of the employees," he said. "It means a lot to them. It's a source of pride."
Tavares credited Phillips for his leadership and commitment to obtaining and maintaining the Police Department's accreditation.
"He has been a highly respected chief, not just throughout Hawaii, but throughout the Mainland as well," she said. "His dedication to serving the community is unparalleled; he was available 24/7. I wish him the best as he enjoys new opportunities that arise during his retirement."
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.
