Hawaiʻi County Police Chief Paul Ferreira has promoted two female captains to the rank of Major.

This is the first time in Hawaiʻi County Police Department history when two female law enforcement officers will simultaneously hold the upper management rank of Major.  The last time a female held the rank of Major within the department was 26 years ago.

Sherry Bird, a 23-year veteran is now assigned to the Area II Field Operations Bureau, which encompasses the police department’s West Hawaii districts. Bird’s former assignments were as a Patrol Officer in the North Kohala and Kona districts, Officer in the Criminal Intelligence Unit, Detective in Area II Vice (Kona), Lieutenant in Area II Vice (Kona), Lieutenant in Area II Criminal Investigation Division (Kona), and Patrol Captain for the South Kohala district.

 

Aimee Wana, a 25-year veteran is now assigned to the department’s Administrative Bureau. Wana‘s former assignments were as a Patrol Officer in South Hilo, Detective in Area II Juvenile Aid Section (Kona), Sergeant in the Dispatch Center, Lieutenant in the Dispatch Center, Patrol Captain for the South Kohala district, and Captain in the Administrative Bureau.

In recent years the department has made strides to recruit a larger number of female officers, with women now accounting for 8.6 percent of sworn positions.

Photos courtesy of the Hawaiʻi County Police Department