KPD leadership under fire: Scathing survey reveals distrust, resentment among employees

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - HNN Investigates mistrust among the ranks at the Kauai Police Department. A workplace survey revealed scores of officers and civilian staff aren’t just unhappy with how the department’s being run.

The report says it’s so bad, they’re resentful.

Poor communication within the department, a lack of accountability and a distrust of leadership — those are just some of the many problems highlighted in the results of the scathing survey ordered by the Kauai Police Commission.

Now, Kauai’s mayor and police chief are answering questions about the department’s future and whether it’s time for a new leadership.

HNN Investigates obtained a copy of the 27-page report — which found 46% of officers and civilian employees surveyed at KPD are not engaged, meaning “they’re putting time, but not energy or passion into their work.”

Meanwhile, 49% are actively disengaged.

The report says that’s when employees aren’t just unhappy, “they’re resentful their needs aren’t being met and are acting out of their unhappiness.”

MORE: HNN Investigates

Just 5% of staff surveyed are reportedly engaged or “highly involved in and enthusiastic about the department.”

The results were compiled from 136 responses — or 70% of the department who filled out a questionnaire in May, in addition to focus groups and interviews.

Gallup, a global workplace consulting company, conducted the research.

“Gallup is the gold standard in my opinion of doing these types of temperature readings to get your finger on the pulse of what’s happening within an organization,” Derek Kawakami said.

Kauai’s mayor said in response to the survey, “My immediate reaction is that, you know, it wasn’t surprising.”

Since Todd Raybuck was named KPD Chief in 2019, there have been a multitude of complaints regarding the department’s leadership — some involving Raybuck directly.

In 2021, the chief was suspended five days without pay for alleged racist comments he made about Asians.

Raybuck said he accepted responsibility for those comments and released a video apology where he stated, “In hindsight, I recognize that regardless of my intent, my words have caused people pain.”

The following year, officers took part in a State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers survey where they were asked to rate morale on a scale from one to 10, with 10 being the best.

The mean rating, or average rating, was 3.58.

“Our officers are frustrated, you know, over their working conditions and with the leadership of our department,” said SHOPO Kauai Chapter Chair Kennison Nagahisa, in a 2022 interview.

Then earlier this year, two officers filed retaliation complaints against Raybuck after inadvertently getting tangled up in an ongoing investigation centered around the chief losing his gun.

While the chief has admitted he misplaced his service weapon, Raybuck has said allegations of retaliation are categorically false.

“From a leadership position, we have to be willing and able to be patient to allow the process of healing,” Kawakami said. “There needs to be a change in culture.”

When asked what changes would improve culture, employees surveyed expressed a need for accountability and better leadership.

The vast majority of staff — 73% — reported people aren’t held accountable for their actions.

The report also revealed only 2 in 10 employees fully trust their leaders.

When it comes to concerns about ethics and integrity, only 22% of staff reported they were confident their employer would do what’s right.

HNN Investigates asked Mayor Kawakami if he felt KPD needed a new police chief.

Kawakami responded, “I don’t think they need a new police chief. I just think that the police chief is going to take a look and see what the department is feeling — and is going to have to make some sincere adjustments.”

In a follow-up question, HNN Investigates cited the results the SHOPO survey conducted in 2022 that showed that the majority of its members have a low opinion of the Kauai Police Department, asking, “How much more time do we give this police chief to get things on track?”

Kawakami responded, “That’s a tricky question.”

The mayor added, “I am confident that our commissioners and our commission will hold KPD’s leadership team and the chief accountable and expect to see some changes.”

HNN Investigates asked Chief Raybuck if he’d sit down for an interview to discuss the survey. But he declined.

Instead, the department sent this statement:

The 70% percent employee response to Gallup’s initial baseline survey confirmed that KPD employees are passionate and care about our organization. We all have a role to play in maximizing the organizational health of the department.

The Gallup survey not only provides a snapshot of conditions at the time, they also provide a partnership with proven strategies to help leaders make positive changes within the organization. Chief Raybuck is committed to making positive changes within the Kauai Police Department.

The Kauai Police Department partnered with the Police Commission to assist in the procurement and funding of an initial 3- year contract with Gallup to identify the baseline of the culture and engagement within KPD.

The goal of Gallup’s initial annual survey was not only to assess KPD’s current status but also help prepare a roadmap to guide the department in its efforts to improve organizational health. While the survey data is important, the real path to positive progress lies in the conversations and actions taken in response to the data. Those conversations are taking place, and the next steps are already in progress.

The Chief and Command Staff participated in a two-day Gallup facilitated workshop last week to start identifying action steps for strengthening and improving the culture of KPD. These action steps will include clarifying KPD’s core beliefs, ensuring accountability for employee behavior, creating a compelling vision for the future, and enhancing communication to foster hope and trust within the department. While we are focused on improving internal aspects of the department, our primary focus remains on the safety and security of the Kauai community. This goal remains steadfast.

We are an organization of people, and each and every day we see examples of our employees going above and beyond to keep Kauai safe. This is true whether it is a dispatcher keeping a family member calm while help is on the way, an officer deploying Narcan to save a life, a detective arresting a violent individual, or officers battling heavy smoke while going door to door to help with fire evacuations. These examples serve as inspiration for our continued focus on constant organizational improvement.

Meanwhile, the union says it’s eager to partner with the department to address its problems but added there’s doubt among KPD staff things will improve.

“Right now, there’s not a feeling, according to the survey results, that things are going to get better,” said spokesperson Dustin DeRollo.

DeRollo said if things don’t improve, there’s concern the department will lose more officers.

“It’s really critical that we keep employees motivated, we keep them happy, we challenge them. And most important what they’re saying is ask my opinion and make me part of the process,” DeRollo said.

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