Media Release

The public is invited to attend Police Week festivities next week, including DARE Day 2008, at which some 1,000 middle school students will be recognized at ceremonies in Hilo and Kona for completing Drug Abuse Resistance Education.

Police Week is a nationally recognized week of activities in support of police work and in recognition of officers who have died or been disabled in the line of duty. In 1962 President John F. Kennedy proclaimed every May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week it falls in as Police Week.

The Hilo DARE Day program will take place on Monday, May 12, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium. It will feature student entertainment and a special appearance by Derek Kurisu, Barret Otani and Mountain Apple Man from the TV show "Living in Paradise." Police will present demonstrations by the department’s Vice Section and Special Response Team.

The Kona DARE Day program will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 13, at the Kekuaokalani Gym in Kailua-Kona with student entertainment and demonstrations by the Vice Section and Special Response Team.

On Friday, May 16, the Police Department will present its formal Police Week ceremony at the Kona District station to pay tribute to Hawaii County police officers who gave their lives in the line of duty and to officers who are now serving in active duty in the military. The Police Week festivities will begin with pre-ceremony entertainment at 9:00 a.m. followed by a formal ceremony at 10 a.m. After the formal ceremony, police will present demonstrations by the canine team and the department’s Special Response Team as well as crime prevention and drug prevention displays. Refreshments will be served.

All three events are open to the public.