Officer Ivan Alatan, an 8-year veteran of Hawai‘i Police Department, was recognized by the Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawai‘i as Officer of the Month for May 2021 during a ceremony held at the Hāmākua Police Station on Wednesday, July 28, 2021.

Officer Alatan was honored for his handling of a situation involving a disoriented woman.  This past May, after receiving a report of a woman wandering into commercial and residential properties who was possibly under the influence, Officer Atalan kept a professional composure and calmly talked to the woman, despite her yelling and non cooperative behavior.  His actions possibly prevented her from injuring herself and becoming further disoriented.

Officer Alatan was then able to track down the woman’s family on the mainland and determined that she had suffered a brain injury a few months earlier after arriving on the island for a visit.  He then helped the woman return  to her home on the mainland.

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 Hawaii Aloha Exchange Club’s Officer of the Year.

Photo credit: Hawaiʻi County Police Department