HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii’s chief of enforcement for the Department of Land and Natural Resources is stepping down after only six months on the job, citing “a culture of waste, fraud and corruption” in the department. ADVERTISING HONOLULU (AP) —
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii’s chief of enforcement for the Department of Land and Natural Resources is stepping down after only six months on the job, citing “a culture of waste, fraud and corruption” in the department.
Thomas Friel’s last day as head of DLNR’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement will be Monday.
DLNR Chairwoman Suzanne Case said Tuesday in a statement she had accepted his resignation and praised Friel for his efforts on the job. However, in a letter last week, Case warned Friel she would not allow him to stay in his position past his six-month probationary period. She said Friel failed to foster a positive relationship with his leadership team and did not go about issuing personnel-related directives in the right way.
“It is with sincere regret that I am not extending your initial probation or employment at DLNR,” Case said.
Since becoming chief in December, Friel has launched more than a dozen internal investigations into alleged theft, misuse of funds and other misconduct.
“I’m just trying to do my work as best as I can. . I’m not getting the support from above,” Friel told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “The pushback is coming from those that I’m investigating, which are actually management that has been in place before I came on the various islands. There’s a lot of politics being played here.”
Sen. Will Espero, who said he has spoken with Friel about his resignation, praised Friel for his efforts as the top conservation officer.
“The chief is initiating changes, looking to professionalize the department and make it more accountable as well as raise morale. These investigations may have stepped on some people’s toes,” Espero said.
Friel has nearly three decades of experience in state and federal law enforcement leadership roles. Before joining DLNR, he worked with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement, Pacific Island Division, for more than two decades.
In her statement, Case said that under Friel’s leadership “the division supported stepped-up law enforcement presence and activities in the hugely popular Napali Coast State Wilderness Park.” In addition, he “undertook internal reviews of operations, and led DOCARE’s investigations of natural resource violations.”
