Two Ka‘ū District officers were recently recognized as 2024 “Ka‘ū Officer of the Year” and “Ka‘ū Top Enforcer”. Officer Augustine “Augie” Akiu Jr. received the Officer of the Year award and Officer Jenna Kosinski-Santos received the Top Enforcer award.

 

Similar to Officer of the Month and Officer of the Quarter awards issued by various organizations in other parts of the island, the Ka‘ū District awards were launched in 2023  to recognize officers that have displayed an outstanding work ethic and character throughout the year.

The Ka‘ū Officer of the Year award is determined by a vote of all officers in the district. This year, Officer Augustine “Augie” Akiu Jr., a lifelong resident of Ka‘ū, was nominated by his peers as the district’s Officer of the Year. Officer Akiu Jr. has served  his entire 34-year career with the Hawai‘i Police Department in the Ka‘ū community.

For the second consecutive year, Officer Jenna Kosinski-Santos, also a lifelong resident of Ka‘ū, was nominated as the district’s “Top Enforcer”. A six-year veteran of the department, Officer Kosinski-Santos has served the Ka‘ū community since 2021.

 

Photos courtesy of the Hawaiʻi County Police Department