In 1932, a few months following the official formation of the Honolulu Police Department, a group of dedicated officers realized the critical need to secure some form of life insurance to provide financial support for the families in the event of an untimely death.

HPD officers William Hoopai, En You Kau, George M. Farr, J.N. McIntosh, and Hans K. Kashiwabara worked together to submit an application to the Office of the Treasurer, Territory of Hawaii, for a Charter of Incorporation to form the Honolulu Police Relief Association (HPRA).  On October 11, 1932 their hard work was approved and it became official.

This was 90 years ago!  The foresight, hard work, dedication and perseverance displayed by those pioneers resulted in the formation of an entity that would provide affordable life insurance to our officers (and later civilian employees) throughout the years.

In addition to up to $320,000 coverage of life insurance for members at a special group rate, HPRA also provides a $500 death benefit ($1,000 for a Line of Duty death), a wreath for a member’s funeral service, $50 check in lieu of flowers for death in family, and gift basket distributions for hospitalized members and birth of a child. We also continue presenting the Top Shooter award at each recruit class graduation, a tradition for over 50 years.

The Directors of the current HPRA Board, along with member volunteers, continue working to perpetuate the foundation that was set by our predecessors by providing support to our members and fostering the spirit of our HPD `ohana.

Aloha,
Robert Imoto, President, HPRA

The HPRA is not a dues driven organization. Our members do not pay to belong to the HPRA. Funds to support our mission are realized through the sale of HPD logo items.

We invite you to browse through our inventory online or in person at our store. All proceeds from your purchase provide benefits to our members. Please support our Honolulu Police Department employees by making a purchase today!

Robert “Bobby” Imoto was elected as an HPRA Director in 1990 and has served as President for the past 11 years.  He is a 38-year veteran of the Honolulu Police Department, retiring as a Captain after spending time in Patrol, Traffic Enforcement, Training, Community Policing, Community Affairs, and the Office of the Chief.

Bobby had the honor of being the supervisor for seven recruit classes spanning from 1986 to 1998 and created the department’s Maka`i Video Production section.  He also served as the department’s first “aide de camp” under former Police Chief Boisse Correa.

For the past 10 years he has been the Director of Safety & Security at the Moana Surfrider hotel.

His continued involvement in the HPRA is fueled by his desire to perpetuate the vision of its founders when they created the organization in 1932 through its mission of supporting the employees and retirees of the Honolulu Police Department.

James “Kimo” Smith retired in December 2020 with 36 years of service with the Honolulu Police Department, lastly as the District 4 Crime Reduction Unit Sergeant. In 2021, he joined many other HPD retirees as a Reserve Officer.

He served on the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO) Board of Directors in different positions between 1986 and 2020, and recently hired as its General Manager overseeing statewide operations.

He earned an Associate of Police Science Degree from Honolulu Community College.

Kimo was elected to the HPRA Board in 2007 and continues to serve as a Director living by the motto of “Being the Police Officers, Police Officer”.

William Clark served with HPD for 34 years, retiring as Deputy Chief. In 1993, he was named as the City and County of Honolulu's Manager of the Year for his pioneering efforts in community policing.

Bill has always been an active volunteer and service provider for various community and educational agencies. He currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Board of Water Supply, and is honored to be a Board member of the Honolulu Police Relief Association (HPPA) which allows him to serve and keep in touch with the HPD Ohana. Bill served as the Chair of the Aiea Neighborhood Board for 23 years and stepped down in 2021 after serving a total of 30 years. He taught business management for 32 years as an adjunct faculty member at both Chaminade University and UH-Leeward Community College; is a volunteer with Hawaii's Meals on Wheels; and responds to questions from the community as a Certified Master Gardener with the University of Hawaii's Urban Garden.

Bill graduated from Chaminade University of Honolulu with a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Business Administration. He lives in Aiea with his wife Joanne. Together they have a blended family of seven children and 13 grandchildren.

David Benson served on the HRPA Board in the past and was once again elected in 2019. David retired as a Major after serving 31 years with the Honolulu Police Department with time spent in Metro, Patrol, Personnel, Traffic Enforcement, Chief’s Office, Night Command, and Juvenile Crime Prevention.

David has a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Chaminade University and a Master of Education degree from Castleton University. After retiring from HPD, he served as Chief of Police of the Castleton Police Department in Vermont and later worked with the local Sheriff’s Department. After 17 years in Vermont, he returned to Honolulu and joined the faculty of the University of Phoenix, School of Criminal Justice, for 11 years.

In addition to serving on the HPRA Board, he serves on the Boards of Coalition for a Drug Free Hawaii, Crime Stoppers and the Bobby Benson Center.

David is honored to be on the HPRA Board as it allows him to serve the HPD ohana and stay connected with the organization that gave him so much during his tenure.

Joseph “Jay” Trinidad joined the Honolulu Police Department in 1990, initially in District 7 (East Honolulu) and currently holds the rank of Major in the Records and Identification Division. Previous assignments include District 8 (Waianae/Kapolei/Ewa), the Narcotics/Vice Division and the Major Events Division.

As an Army Reservist, he deployed to Iraq in 2005-2006 and retired at the rank of Colonel.

He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Hawaii and Master of Arts degree in Emergency Management from Arizona State University.

He is married to the former Jennifer M. Guerrero, and has a daughter, Jenay and son, Joseph Jr.