Officer Noah Serrao was recognized by the Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawai‘i as Officer of the Month for September 2021.

On the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021, Hawaiʻi Community Correctional Center (HCCC) reported two escaped inmates. One of the inmates was previously wanted for bail jumping, resisting an order to stop, and other crimes. The second inmate was awaiting trial for robbery and assault.

Moments after Dispatch announced the escaped inmates, Officer Serrao, a two-year veteran of the department assigned to Hilo Patrol, made checks near the downtown area.  He realized the likelihood of the escapees using the bus to flee and rushed to the Mooheau bus terminal to find a bus waiting for passengers.  When he got to the bus, he noticed a young adult male with a shirt covering the lower half of his face and proceeded to ask his name. Upon closer inspection, Officer Serrao noticed the man’s pants had HCCC logo on them and identified the man as one of the escapees, and shortly afterward spotted the other escapee also inside the bus.

Determining that the escapee he had contacted first appeared more of a flight risk; Officer Serrao handcuffed this escapee while the other escapee that was already on the bus surrendered to the officer while additional officers were en route to assist.

Officer Serrao’s keen observations allowed him to find and arrest both of the escaped inmates within a short time frame.

Every month the East Hawaii Aloha Exchange Club honors a police officer in East Hawaii as their officer of the month. Officers are nominated by their supervisors from the various police districts and a monthly winner is selected.  All officers selected for Officer of the Month are eligible to be selected as the East Hawaiʻi Aloha Exchange Club’s Officer of the Year.

 

Photo credit: Hawaiʻi County Police Department