Kealoha has already received $250K payoff, commission says

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The chairman of the Honolulu Police Commission says attorneys for retiring police chief Louis Kealoha have already received his quarter-million dollar payoff from the city.

Chairman Max Sword said the payment was made sometime late last week.

The payoff was part of a settlement with Kealoha, who agreed to resign from the department after receiving an official notice that he was the subject of the federal investigation. He also agreed to return the money if he is convicted of a felony within six years, agreeing not to sue the city for wrongful termination.

On Wednesday, police executives objected to the money coming from the department budget, saying that a payment of $250,000 without City Council approval may not be legal.

Sword did not mention at the meeting on Wednesday that the money was already gone.