I worked for a police department for over 15 years as a civilian, not a sworn officer, so I guess you could say that I was on the periphery of "the family" but not totally a part of it. Nevertheless, over that period of time I got a pretty good feel for the "law enforcement" personality. Gary Dias does a very cool job of giving the reader a glimpse of that unique family, and he does it with humor, grace and insight. I would definitely have enjoyed working for him!

Gary spent 27 years with the Honolulu Police Department. He started out (like everybody else) as a rookie street cop and worked his way up through the system to the position of major, with a lot of ups and downs along the way (also like everybody else). His career wasn't unusual for the HPD, and that's a GOOD thing, because it means that what you read here is an interesting story by an honest, ethical, hard-working member of a major police force. If Dias represents a typical Honolulu PD career employee, and I think he does, then the citizens of Honolulu are in good hands! Police work in Hawai'i is a little different than on the mainland – it's always been pretty "people" oriented and you can see that in "Honolulu Cop." Dias is a compassionate person and is a great example of what professional police work is all about. On the other hand, he doesn't pull punches when it comes to telling readers about some of the bad things that happened in the department. Now he's the manager of security at the Queens Medical Center in Honolulu. People in the Honolulu PD that worked with him respect him and they like his book!

One of the really nice things is that Dias writing style is of the down-to-earth, talk-story variety. So what he has turned out isn't a cop's book for cops, but a cop's book for everybody. I think that anybody who reads it will enjoy this book, whether they are directly involved in law enforcement or not. Dias is simply a great story teller. If you are in law enforcement, you'll find yourself chuckling and smiling a lot as you recognize familiar situations (like when you get promoted to sergeant and are looking forward to being assigned to a beat near your home and you get assigned as a desk sergeant in the worst part of town). As a "civilian" looking at the "inside" for the first time, you'll find yourself thinking "Oh, that’s why they do that" or "I’m glad I’m not a cop" or maybe even sometimes "What a bunch of jerks." Dias tells a whole bunch of great stories. In a lot of them the joke is on him (which he learns to take in stride, which is mandatory in a police department if you’re going to survive).

To give you a few examples of the kinds of shenanigans Dias writes about, there's the story of the crook that was collared in a very wet canal, the gasoline in the planter box outside of the Kane'ohe Police Station and what the Fire Department thought about it, the ghost incident, the recruit and the Judo instructor, etc. The stories go on and on, but strategically placed in between them is a lot of interesting information about how a big city police department works. One thing that was fairly unique to the Honolulu PD was that the officers had to use their own cars for patrol work (which they still do here on the Big Island). That generated a lot of crazy incidents. "Honolulu Cop" is just plain fun to read!

Gritty, direct and heartfelt -- says so right on the rear cover -- pretty much sums up this thoughtful biography-meditation by former homicide chief Dias. Dias has a knack for writing in casual vernacular that's the equivalent of being told an entertaining story by a buddy or favorite teacher. And what stories! Dias was your quintessential boy in blue who seems to have served time (oops, wrong phrase) in nearly department of Honolulu Police Department, from the days of the abandoned Sears store to the glitzy, uber-moderne fortress on Beretania. By nature, the work is anecdotal, and roughly follows his career, but he's more interested in spinning yarns about other officers rather than himself. He comes across as modest, intelligent, civic-minded, analytical and genuinely curious about the human condition, which is pretty much the way I'd prefer all cops to be. The incidents Dias describes are sometimes well-known and give mesmerizing inside detail, such as the 1979 Kakaako sniper shoot-out, or are legendary events that HPD would rather keep in-house, such as the time rookie Dias accidentally exploded a flaming planter at the Kaneohe Police substation. "Honolulu Cop" is a pretty accurate idea how Hawaii police operate and think -- Honolulu screenwriters should keep this as a reference -- and citizens should sleep better at night. Bess Press also breaks a string of dull book covers with this nice package.

Retired police officer Gary A. Dias employs insight, humor and compelling storytelling in a new book about police work in Hawaii

HPD Blues in black and white

Chapter 24: "Discretion"

An excerpt from 'Honolulu Cop'

Have you ever been stopped by a police officer for driving in some fashion that the Traffic Code says you ought not to be doing? Then you sit waiting for him to come up to your car and you're wondering if he'll be "nice" enough to give you a warning? There are some things you can do to help the cop sway toward a warning instead of a citation. Here are a few rules to follow when stopped by the nice police officer.

1. Don't call out "Whaaat? What I did?"

2. Even though you're secretly hoping the cop is suffering from a bad case of rash in places he won't even show his wife, do say "Good Morning or Good Evening." Pleasantly.

3. Acknowledge your guilt early. Even though you're absolutely certain you were only doing 35 mph coming down Pali Highway. Of course, you know that absolutely no one does 35 mph coming down Pali Highway.

4. After saying "I'm sorry," do state that you will "be more aware of your speed." Don't say you'll never do it again. We all know that as soon as the cop leaves you'll be speeding.

5. When you feel like challenging his observation that you violated the law, see Rule # 3. Particularly, never state "How could you tell from your position? Huh? Huh?"

6. Praise his choice of dark glasses. A suggestion is "I like your glasses. Where did you get them?" Stop there. Do not add "Longs?"

7. Never say "Hurry up, I gotta be at a meeting in 10 minutes."

8. It is permissible to try the claim "I was speeding 'cause I really gotta go bathroom."

9. Cry. And state "My husband is going to hit me again when he finds out about this." This rule has shown to be very effective in changing the tag to a warning. Male motorists may use this rule, but should state "My wife" instead of "My husband" but don't hold your breath.

10. If you're brave enough to say "I'll see you in court!" ... you will.

Police discretion is founded in the belief that people don't always intend to commit a crime or break the traffic code. We make mistakes. Police officer's girlfriends, boyfriends, spouses, sisters, brothers, dads, moms and kids make mistakes, and we all hope for a break in those cases. So society tells law enforcement that police officers need the ability to use their discretion and make a better judgment based on mitigating or aggravating circumstances.

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There is a clear difference between the concept of "the letter of the law" and "the spirit of the law." The letter of the law means that the law is specific and that our society intends that police enforce it without exception. Murder, for example. It would be totally uncool for a homicide detective to discuss with his lieutenant: "Boss, the guy was Joe's third cousin on his mother's side, why don't we just look the other way this time?"

On the other hand, there are times when there is a societal need to have a specific law on the books, but society wants the police officer to make a judgment about enforcing that law because there may be valid mitigating circumstances. The classic example is the traffic citation. It is during these circumstances that the community has an expectation that the officer is mature enough, has had the proper training and development, and will take the best interests of the community into consideration when making discretionary judgments.

Of course, being related to or a friend of a police officer is also an important consideration. Remember the hiring interview question "Would you tag your mother?" Never try this excuse on a cop by using my name.

"Oh, officer, You remember retired Major Dias? He's my good friend."

That could get you arrested depending on who the cop is who stopped you.

Usually discretion does not fall into the criminal side of the law, but there are times when society would be offended if we pursued certain cases. One example of this is a story I call "Aku Eye and the Potato."

One day when Tom Pickard was the Receiving Desk Captain, and I was the Receiving Desk Sergeant, an officer brought in a shoplifting arrest from a major grocery chain. The "suspect" was an elderly Japanese woman. She had to be in her 80s. She was bent over and walked on crooked legs that had probably seen many years of hard work, and she looked traumatized to be in the Receiving Desk among all the officers. As we took custody of her, the officer went into Pickard's office to explain the arrest. The Juvenile Crime Prevention Division 200 yards across the street probably heard the resulting explosion.

The woman was arrested by store security for stealing one, yes, you read that right, just one potato. She told the HPD officer who arrived to take custody of her that her husband was sick in bed and that they did not have any food. She did not take the potato for herself. She needed it for her husband. The store manager, however, told the HPD officer that shoplifting is shoplifting. They felt bad for her, but the law is the law, after all.

The mistake that the HPD officer made was not using his discretion and bringing the old woman into the desk to Captain Pickard.

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He stormed out of his office leaving the arresting officer behind. He looked at the old woman and smiled at her as he pulled up a chair.

"Mama," he asked, "your husband sick?"

The woman nodded. "I think he dying. He very weak. We no more food."

"Is that why you took the potato?"

The woman nodded again and tears fell from her eyes.

Pickard patted her on the back and stood up. He took a $20 bill from his wallet and handed it to an officer.

"Take her with you, go buy her food, then take her home."

He pointed at me, his aku eye bulging.

He looked at the arresting officer who was feeling quite small.

"You, use your head next time. And don't you ever bring in an old woman who took a potato for her sick husband."

We bought her food and took her home. I found her help.

This incident brought home a statement made to me by my father on the day I graduated from Recruit School: "Remember the little guy."

My dad worked all his life on the waterfront as a longshoreman and stevedore. He left intermediate school to work and help support his family. He knew what it was like to struggle to feed your kids. He knew what the word sacrifice meant to people who had very little money. When he told me to remember the little guy, I kinda thought that he meant to respect people.

Aku Eye and the potato incident made my father's words very clear. To not only have respect for people who have little money for people who are struggling. To have compassion as well. The compassion that Tom Pickard showed to that old woman burned into my mind. This was part of the great respect I have for Tom "Aku Eye" Pickard. That and the fact that his common-sense approach to police work reminded me of my father. I think if Dad were aware of the concept, he would have told me that the spirit of the law was equally, if not more important than the letter of the law. I think he would have said to temper action with respect and compassion and if possible, to learn the "why" behind someone's behavior.

Years after this incident, I began teaching courses on criminal justice or criminology at various colleges and universities in Honolulu. Inevitably the topic of ethics and values would arise in one form or another and I like to open the discussion with the question "What would it take in your life for you to steal?"

Initially, students usually claim that there is no condition that would force them to steal. Then I change the paradigm just a little and ask "Would you steal to feed your children?" To a person, each student would answer "yes." Then I would introduce the story of Captain Tom "Aku Eye" Pickard and the Potato and begin a discussion on police ethics, values and discretion.

So, next time you're stopped by a police officer for speeding, try this:

"Good morning, Officer. I'm sorry, it was all my fault. And say, I like your glasses. Did you know I'm a friend of Gary Dias, and I really gotta go to the bathroom. (start sobbing) "And, Oh God, if you give me that ticket my wife is going to hit me again."

Gary Dias is no stranger to paperwork. As an ex-beat cop in the Honolulu Police Department who rose through the ranks, he spent many an evening banging at the keys, rolling in the carbon paper, making reports and citations and memos and transcripts in triplicate and quadruplicate and pentalicate and...

A good thing, too. He's just wrapped up his memoirs, a cheeky and irreverent look at his years in HPD called "Honolulu Cop"($11.95). Published last month by Bess Press, early indications are that it's doing well.

It took about six months, with Dias' wife-an experienced journalist-providing feedback and style-editing. One useful bit of advice was to pace the chapters, alternating funny and serious pieces.

The book is not an "expose," said Dias, although it does let some ribald tales out of the station. "I didn't tell tell anyone in the department I was working on it, because they'd just worry about what it was going to say, and no one needs that kind of pressure," said Dias.

Now that it's out, he's gotten some good comments from fellow officers, some of whom are relieved, and others of whom are reliving ancient history.

Apparently, it's not selling gangbusters in the police department. "Knowing police, they probably bought one copy and are passing the one copy around to the whole division," mock-groused Dias.

Reviews

Review   UH Newsletter Online - September 16, 2003

Sometimes it's funny. Sometimes it's frightening. It's never, ever dull. In Honolulu Cop Reflections on a Career with HPD, retired major Gary A. Dias calls work with the Honolulu Police Department, "the toughest, dirtiest, most satisfying job in town." Dias gives the reader an inside look at a cop's world in Hawai'i, from rookie year to retirement.

From traffic to homicide, Dias has worked in almost every division of the HPD, and his stories recount the variety of situations and people he met on both sides of the law. Resourceful transvestites, flammable evidence, uncooperative dogs and deadly snipers are just a few of the memorable experiences he had as a police officer. Dias spent 27 years with HPD, and Honolulu Cop reflects the changes that have taken place in law enforcement since the 1970s as well as aspects unique to the Islands.

Dias served most notably in the Criminal Investigation Division as lieutenant of the homicide detail and as head of the hostage negotiation team. He is a lecturer in the justice administration program at UH West O'ahu.

Excerpts from Honolulu Cop are featured in the September 2002 issue of Honolulu magazine.

Honolulu Cop Reflections on a Career with HPD is available at the UH bookstore for $11.95 and at Hamilton Library. Log on to the UH Libraries' Hawai'i Voyager Web site for availability.

Reviews

Review By: James A. Cox,   Wisconsin Bookwatch - August 1, 2003

Honolulu Cop: Reflections on a Career With HPD is an inside memoir of author Gary Dias' dutiful service to the Honolulu Police Department from 1971 to 1998. An inherently fascinating and candid assessment of the law's strengths and weaknesses, and the characters found among the good and the bad, Honolulu Cop provides the reader with a refreshingly open, no-holds-barred account, highly recommended account which is absorbing reading and offers a "real world" glimpse of how policing and careers in law enforcement have evolved since the 1970's