Most officers who filled out a survey commissioned by the local police officers union expressed dissatisfaction with the leadership of Honolulu Police Chief Boisse Correa, according to the survey results.

According to results, released yesterday, 76.1 percent stated Correa "never or almost never communicates accurately or precisely with them," while 73.7 percent stated Correa "never or almost never works well with line officers toward common goals."

In addition, more than 78 percent of the survey participants said morale was so low that they always or almost always wished they had a different police chief.

The 15-question survey was mailed in November to 1,877 members of the State of Hawai'i Organization of Police Officers, O'ahu chapter, who had two weeks to complete the survey. About 56.9 percent, or 1,068 officers, completed the survey.

Correa yesterday declined to answer questions about the survey but attacked its validity in a written statement released by a spokesperson.

"I have been told that no measures were taken to prevent multiple responses, and several of the statements were ambiguous. Despite those and other shortcomings, the results were used to make serious claims about my ability to lead this department," the statement said. "If morale were as low as the survey claims, I would expect to see a high number of officers leaving, an increase in complaints and other changes. In fact, our vacancy rate is the lowest it has been in over a decade, complaints from the public are down, and the number of officers who have been disciplined is consistent with previous years."

He added, "Police chiefs frequently need to make decisions that not everyone will agree with. However difficult those decisions may be, I will never compromise my integrity or the department's integrity for the sake of my popularity."

Of those officers who responded to the survey, 474, or 44 percent, included written comments.

The written comments were "overwhelmingly negative with few exceptions," wrote William Puette, director of the Center for Labor Education & Research at the University of Hawai'i West O'ahu and author of an analysis that accompanied the survey results.

"The perception that the chief lacks appropriate leadership skills is widespread and demoralizing," Puette wrote. "The fact that the worst assessments were in the areas of communication, working with the officers toward common goals, inspirational leadership, fairness, and professional pride should indicate the need for efforts to improve communication and team-building between management and the officers."

Puette could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The SHOPO survey results contrast sharply with the views expressed by the Honolulu Police Commission in its formal review of Correa, which was released last week. The seven-member commission commended Correa for good management, leadership and his ability to communicate with the commission.

Ron Taketa, chairman of the commission, declined comment yesterday, saying it would be inappropriate to discuss the results until every commission member had time to review them.

SHOPO O'ahu chapter chairman Alex Garcia declined to be interviewed about the survey results yesterday.

"The numbers speak for themselves," he wrote in his online journal, www.honolulupoliceunion.com. "As you can see, there are several areas of concern that have been identified by the membership and must be addressed by the administration. SHOPO has already met and discussed these issues with the administration and we have scheduled a series of meetings with Chief Correa to address these concerns beginning immediately."

Deputy Chiefs Glen Kajiyama and Paul Putzulu received the survey results from SHOPO on Friday. Copies of the survey results and analysis also were distributed to the police commission and Mayor Mufi Hannemann.

Hannemann expressed concern about the dueling perceptions of Correa.

"While it seems the chief has good communication with the management staff, it seems the communication with the rank and file is not that strong," said Hannemann through a spokesperson. "Because it's (the survey) from the rank and file, it's something the chief should take seriously. I also hope the police commission takes these issues seriously and looks into it."

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.