The Honolulu Police Department will honor fallen comrades, legendary officers and 75 years of serving and protecting the community during annual Police Week celebrations starting today.

The department, established through a territorial legislative mandate in 1932, originally had an operating budget of about $470,000 and about 225 officers who earned starting pay of $112.50 a month. Today, the department employs more than 1,800 sworn officers and has an annual budget of about $180 million.

"There is an understanding that we're willing to give our lives to make the community a safer place to live," said former Honolulu police Chief Lee Donohue, now head of Akal Security. "I pay tribute to all the officers who made this choice and continue to provide for the community."

Events, with the theme "75 Years of Serving and Protecting with Aloha," will include an awards ceremony honoring the Police Officer of the Year, the induction of three former officers into the department' s Hall of Fame and a benefit banquet. National Police Week is being observed by departments nationwide.

As part of the national observance, Honolulu police Chief Boisse P. Correa is in Washington, D.C., with the widow of fallen police officer Steve Favela and their children to attend a wreath-laying ceremony tomorrow at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

"I feel privileged to be associated with a police department that ranks as the best in the country. The department consistently has Honolulu in the upper echelon of safe cities, and I stand with our residents and visitors in expressing my appreciation for all the work our men and women in blue do for us each and every day," said Mayor Mufi Hannemann. "On behalf of all the people of the city and county of Honolulu, I wish HPD a happy 75th anniversary."

Hannemann will officially kick off the week during a proclamation ceremony at 10:30 a.m. today.

Three officers, including a former chief, will be inducted into the department's hall of fame.

Chief Daniel S.C. Liu was HPD's fourth and longest-serving chief, leading the department for 21 years — from Oct. 1, 1948, until he retired on July 1, 1969. He was the first police chief in the United States of Chinese descent.

Many of the changes Liu made are still in place today, including a redesigned badge and the establishment of the chaplaincy corps, canine corps and Police Activities League. The HPD Downtown Chinatown Substation was named in Liu's honor.

The second inductee is Sister Roberta Julie Derby, the first female police chaplain in the United States and the only HPD chaplain to receive the department's Warrior Silver Medal of Valor.

Sister Roberta's association with the department began in 1971, while she was teaching criminal justice classes at Chaminade University, police said. In 1976, she volunteered at the department and was named senior chaplain the next year.

"Chaplain One," as she was known, was awarded the Silver Medal of Valor in 1980 for defusing a hostage situation by walking into an apartment and removing a child being held at gunpoint by his father, then successfully negotiating the armed man's surrender, police said.

The park next to the HPD headquarters is named in her honor.

The third inductee is Sgt. Edwin "Buddy" Adolphson, who is credited with saving the lives of more than 100 people including swimmers, surfers, fishermen, boaters and hikers, police said.

During his time with the department, Adolphson was the only person assigned to the Safety Patrol and spent most of this time on the North Shore. In addition to his regular police gear, he had a surfboard, medical kit, resuscitator, rope and equipment for mountain rescues, police said.

Adolphson' s numerous honors include the Army Pacific Command's Military Honor of Loyal Companions; Australian Bronze Medallion; Carnegie Hero Fund Commission's Bronze Medal; National Police Officers Association Medal of Merit; and the HPD Merit Award First Class.

He was inducted into the National Police Hall of Fame, and is the first officer to receive the departmental flag for outstanding heroism, police said.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.