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HPD's Grad Elarionoff (l) is Officer of the Year for state of Hawai'i, with HPD Chief Benjamin
Moszkowicz. Photo from HPD |
GRAD ELARIONOFF IS STATEWIDE OFFICER OF THE YEAR, named by Hawai‘i State Law Enforcement Officials Association. The organization honored Elarionoff, who is Hawai‘i Police Department Area II Vice Section Acting Lieutenant, during its 68th annual conference on Kaua'i last week.
Elarionoff leads Hawai‘i County Ice Task Force, which in the last fiscal year investigated 140 offenses, executed 17 search warrants, arrested 32 individuals, and recovered approximately 39.3 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 4.4 grams of cocaine, 17.1 pounds of marijuana, 5.7 grams of heroin, 346 grams of fentanyl powder, and 200 fentanyl pills. A statement from Hawai'i Police Department says that "Given that just two milligrams of illicit fentanyl is considered a lethal dose, the 346 grams of fentanyl recovered by the Ice Task Force is enough to potentially kill 173,000 thousand Hawai‘i Island residents."
Elarionoff led investigations that interrupted two high-end drug trafficking organizations importing and distributing large amounts of crystal methamphetamine on Hawai‘i Island. A 25 year-veteran of HPD, Elarionoff has worked in Vice for nine years and serves as Acting Lieutenant of the Area II Vice Section.
The HPD statement says, "In the last year, his efforts have rid our island communities of 82 pounds of methamphetamine; 346 grams of illicit fentanyl; 200 fentanyl pills; 17.1 pounds of marijuana; 5.7 grams of heroin and 4.4
grams of cocaine.
“Acting Lieutenant Elarionoff is incredibly passionate about reducing the amount of drugs in our island community and holding drug dealers accountable for their crimes,” said Police Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz. He noted that in February, after a lengthy investigation, Elarionoff obtained and executed search warrants, resulting in the recovery of more than 11 pounds of methamphetamine and the arrests of two individuals.
"Knowing the impact of illicit drugs on the community, Acting Lieutenant Elarionoff delved deeper than the initial recovery and subsequently identified an upline dealer on O'ahu. When the O'ahu dealer shipped a parcel to Hawai‘i Island in April 2024 containing 6.5 pounds of methamphetamine, police intercepted and recovered the parcel. They were able to arrest the dealer and recover an additional 6 pounds of methamphetamine."
A separate year-long investigation spearheaded by Elarionoff involved a mainland drug trafficking organization suspected of smuggling narcotics to the island via different airlines, using fake identifications in an effort to evade detection. In May 2024, Area II Vice officers developed information on a suspected trafficker on an inbound flight from the mainland. Based on developed information, an elusive drug dealer who was suspected of smuggling hundreds of pounds of narcotics to Hawai‘i Island and Maui was arrested and is now facing federal charges. As part of this investigation, 20 pounds of methamphetamine was also recovered.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.THE CONGRESSWOMAN WHO REPRESENTS KAʻŪ participated in a virtual Japanese Americans for Harris Launch, ahead of Tuesday night's debate between presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. See the Japanese Americans for Harris program, including Kurt Kanazawa singing
Star Spangled Banner, and talks by Tokuda, Congressman Mark Takano and others at
https://www.facebook.com/JapaneseAmericans4Harris.
Tokuda said she backs Harris because "she's got the stuff to be President" and will be supportive of Japanese Americans. She said Harris and Vice President Walz "see us, hear us and empower us."
Tokuda said Japanese Americans can "make the difference in this election and every election up and down the ticket." She urged Japanese Americans to become involved in the elections of public officials. "There is so much at stake," with the Trump administration showing "so much xenophobia, racism and hate... We know what's that like as the descendants of those of the interment camps (Japanese who were incarcerated in World War II). We can never go back."
Another Hawai'i person speaking at the Japanese Americans for Harris launch was Erika Moritsugu, daughter of the first Japanese American Surgeon General of the U.S., also from Hawai'i. The younger Moritsugu is also granddaughter of Japanese American internees in World War II and Japanese American soldiers in the U.S. military fighting in Europe in the second world war. Moritsugu works in the White House as Deputy Assistant to the President and as Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Senior Liason.
After the launch and following the presidential debate, Tokuda issued a statement saying, "Americans saw two very different visions for our future. Vice President Harris presented a new way forward – one that protects our freedoms, defends reproductive rights, and ensures every American has a chance to succeed.
"In contrast, Trump doubled down on his extreme Project 2025 agenda – a plan that threatens our democracy, prioritizes the wealthy over working families, and truly takes away our freedoms.
"We've already seen the damage he can do, and a second term would be even more dangerous.
"We can't relent, not even for a moment. Even when we have good days, like yesterday's debate, the unfortunate reality is that this will come down to just a few states deciding the outcome and will remain a close race until the end.
"With less than 60 days until the election, I am doing everything I can to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. We are making calls, sending postcards, rallying voters, and will be in some of the most critical battleground states knocking on doors fighting for our future."
THURSDAY, SEPT. 19 IS THE NEXT KAʻŪ COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE MEETING. It will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Herkes Kaʻū District Gym Multi-Purpose Room,
96-1219 Kamani St in Pāhala.
During the last meeting, on Aug. 14, the group unanimously voted to conduct fact finding regarding a planned Pāhala Water Bottling Facility on the old 60 acre sugar mill property on Maile Street. This includes reaching out to state Department of Health, state Department of Land & Natural Resource and the applicant to inquire about the status of the proposed development, rights to the water from the spring
under the town, as well as taking other relevant actions related to the project. The motion passed unanimously. The project includes industrial and retail development.
Concerning Punalu'u, the Action Committee put the discussion on the Sept. 19 agenda regarding a letter from Black Sand Beach, LLC planning consultant Daryn Arai responding to a letter that the Action Committee drafted to send to the Windward Planning Commission with concerns about the project.
Regarding an evacuation route for the Green Sands neighborhood, the Action Committee set up a committee to meet with Fire Chiefs to discuss evacuation and mitigation routes.
Regarding Ka Lae Coastline Access and Resources, the Action Committee wrote a letter regarding protecting cultural sites and natural resources in the greater Ka Lae area, particularly Mahana Bay. Paul Makuakane, Tissy Kaniho and Dean Kaniho urged the committee to contact Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. The Committee voted to send its letter to county Planning Director and government agencies including DHHL.
An item placed on the agenda for the next meeting is testimony from Gary Davis urging that at least one Kaʻū transfer station be open daily to reduce illegal dumping.
Another is testimony from Wilmet Lorenzo encouraging improvement of access to water for homes along South Point Road. He said there has been no new infrastructure in 30 years. The Committee voted to conduct a fact finding mission.
Ka'ū Action Committee Members will participate in-person and via the Zoom interactive video platform. The public may attend live or on zoom. Email
cdp@hawaiicounty.gov for access to testify. There will be no YouTube live streaming for this meeting.
Written testimony may be submitted via email at
cdp@hawaiicounty.gov or in person at Hilo or Kona Planning Department, up to two days prior to the meeting. In addition, members of the public may provide oral testimony at the meeting on any of the agenda items by attending in-person or by calling into the Zoom meeting.
With discretion of the Chair of the CDP Action Committee, comments may be made either during the public comment portion of the agenda or during the relevant business item and may be limited to three minutes in length per agenda item. To register for access to the Zoom meeting, email
cdp@hawaiicounty.gov no later than 4:30pm on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
To learn more about Community Development Plans and how to be involved,
see the county's Kaʻū Community Development Plan website at
https://www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/general-plan-community-planning/cdp/kau.
Keiki are invited to discover, create, play and learn about Island science through hands-on exploration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. STEAM "is all around us using open ended play experiences," says the Kaʻū Wellness Festival announcement. 
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