KPD recognizes employee of the year

LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i Police Chief Darryl Perry, on behalf of the police department, recognized the department’s outstanding officer and employee of the year.

“I am very pleased to announce Officer Ginny ‘Pua’ Pia and Eunice Apeles as our officer and employee of the year,” said Chief Perry. “These women continue to exemplify the core values of our department: Respect, pono and integrity.”

Eunice Apeles is a KPD evidence custodian who started with the department in 1993 as a clerk typist. Throughout her tenure, she has held various positions relating to records, firearms and evidence and was promoted to police evidence custodian in December of 2000.

Apeles single-handedly ran the evidence section until 2007 and achieved the monumental task of organizing and developing a system for evidence storage that was both practical and efficient. She has since hired an evidence clerk, and together, they process hundreds of evidence items every week.

“Eunice is on call 24/7 and is called out to assist in securing evidence at all hours of the day or night for major crime investigations or fatal traffic collisions,” said Acting Assistant Chief of the Administrative and Technical Bureau Sherwin Perez. “She helps in any way she can within and outside of her bureau, including filling in as acting supervisor of the records section, and we’re very grateful for all she does.”

Over the years Apeles has gained a well-respected reputation at the department. Colleagues describe her as being very organized, dependable and efficient, while at the same time being very compassionate.

“I look up to Eunice and could not have asked for a better mentor,” stated Evidence Clerk Kristal Nibre. “She is not only a supervisor, but at times a second mother. She will always ask for my input, which she doesn’t have to do, and she is known for going the extra mile for people.”

Officer Ginny “Pua” Pia is being recognized as the department’s officer of the year.

Pia has been a law enforcement officer for the past 10 years, serving most notably in the Vice Unit.

Due to shortages within the department, Officer Pia served dual full-time positions for the past seven years as the asset forfeiture sergeant as well as an investigator with the Vice Narcotics Division.

While working with the Vice Unit, Pia was nominated as KPD’s officer of the month on three separate occasions and obtained various accolades from the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“It was critically important that we protected Pua’s identity while she was a member of the Vice team, so we were never able to publicize her awards and achievements,” said Assistant Chief of the Investigative Services Bureau Roy Asher. “Now that Pua has transferred to another unit, we want to publicly thank her for all of her hard work and dedication over the past several years. We are proud to finally have this opportunity to share all that she has accomplished.”

Pia is known for fulfilling the various duties and tasks she is assigned beyond what is expected, and she does so willingly. Even with her full work schedule, Pia found time to participate in elementary school career days and other functions focused on Kaua‘i’s youth and she continues to be a positive role model for Kaua‘i’s keiki.

“Officer Pia’s dedication has not only benefited the Kaua‘i Police Department but the entire Kaua‘i community,” added Assistant Chief Asher. “And her efforts in drug enforcement and prevention has helped to make Kaua‘i a safer place for all of us.”