Police heroism, hard work recognized in ceremony | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Police heroism, hard work recognized in ceremony | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper

Posted on: Friday, May 18, 2007

Police heroism, hard work recognized in ceremony

By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer

One police officer saved a drowning woman trapped in a collapsed water main during an islandwide blackout. Another issued more than 1,800 citations last year and made 187 arrests.

Both were honored as the co-officers of the year at the Honolulu Police Department's annual awards ceremony at the Waialae Country Club Wednesday. Officers Zane D. Hamrick and Harry C. Burt were two of the six officers and civilian employees honored at the breakfast.

The awards are given each year during national Police Week.

On Oct. 15, hours after an earthquake on the Big Island cut power service across O'ahu, Hamrick jumped into a swirling hole of mud and water to save a 20-year-old woman who fell in when the road collapsed beneath her.

Wearing his uniform and 15-pound gun belt, Hamrick dove underwater, found the submerged woman and pushed her out of the ditch.

In 2006, Burt issued 1,865 citations, investigated 630 cases, and made 187 arrests while working the third watch in Kalihi.

Each award recipient received $1,000 from The 200 Club, a support group for HPD and the Honolulu Fire Department; an Ala Moana Center gift certificate; round-trip tickets for two from Aloha Airlines to any Neighbor Island; and a plaque from HPD.

Other award recipients:

Chaplain Vincent D. O'Neill was named reserve officer of the year. O'Neill has volunteered as one of the department's six chaplains for more than 30 years and has helped thousands of HPD employees and their families during that time.

In addition to his duties with the department, O'Neill is the rector of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in 'Aiea.

Chun H. Yee was named civilian employee of the year. In addition to his regular duties as the department's graphic artist, Yee conceived and designed artwork and print materials for a wide range of special projects, recruiting campaigns and department events, police said.

Officer Antone Pacheco Jr. was named police parent of the year. Pacheco Jr. is the father of three sons and a daughter. Two of his sons are schoolteachers, the third is a police officer and his daughter is an honor roll student at her middle school, police said. Pacheco is a coach and an active church member.

Deputy prosecutor Rom A. Trader received the Outstanding Citizen Award. Trader's personal commitment to obtaining justice for victims and the community has resulted in the successful prosecution of many difficult cases, police said. He has headed the sex assault, domestic violence and juvenile offender division of the city prosecutor's office since 2000.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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