Freitas named department’s 2012 Top Cop

A West Hawaii officer was recognized Thursday as the Hawaii Police Department’s Top Cop for 2012.

The Law Enforcement/Security Coalition of Hawaii selected Sgt. Bradley Freitas, who is based in Kona, for the award. Kona Patrol Capt. Richard Sherlock nominated Freitas.

“I was very proud of him,” Sherlock said Friday. “He deserves it. He’s very humble.”

Sherlock said he wanted to recognize Freitas for his work the last two years on a Special Enforcement Unit that includes patrol officers and Community Policing officers. The unit works on major crimes, including burglaries and robberies, and watches crime trends. It was recently involved in focused investigations for a rash of burglaries in West Hawaii, Sherlock said.

The four officers on the unit rotate every three months, but Freitas has been the link, and commander, for two years, Sherlock said.

“The unit has been very successful,” he added. “He’s been very successful in not only directing these officers, but training them, teaching them how to investigate and reduce crime in the long run.”

The unit had initiated 188 cases, resulting in 48 arrests, in the year leading up to Sherlock submitting the nomination in August.

Freitas said he was shocked when Assistant Chief Paul Kealoha told him he’d been selected for the honor.

“I’m just a hard-working guy,” Freitas said. “I’m happy. I’m proud. I’m thankful.”

He said he needed to give credit to his family, who allow him to spend much of his time working, and to the officers with whom he works on the Special Enforcement Unit.

“The unit is a small unit, three patrol officers and myself,” he said. “We all work together as a team.”

Freitas is a 22-year veteran of the police department.

The coalition presented the award Thursday at the Manoa Grand Ballroom on Oahu.