HONOLULU — For more than 75 years, women have served in a variety of roles at the Honolulu Police Department (HPD), from the department’s early policewomen to those working in patrol, investigations, command and executive leadership today.

Following National Police Woman Day, observed Sept. 12, HPD is highlighting women from different generations whose careers reflect the evolving opportunities and many paths available within the profession.

“Women have long been an important part of the Honolulu Police Department, and today they are serving and leading across every level of our organization,” Honolulu Police Chief David Lazar said. “Their experiences, perspectives and individual paths make our department stronger and help us better serve our community. I want the women who are here today — and those considering a career in policing — to know there is a tremendous amount of support and opportunity to grow, lead and make a difference at HPD.”

That legacy of service spans generations. Officer Leimomi Moʻokini Lum joined HPD in 1950 at a time when opportunities for women in law enforcement were far more limited. She broke barriers as the first woman to serve on HPD’s prestigious pistol team and went on to serve in the Vice Division and supervise the Missing Person Detail. Lum spent most of her career as an investigator in the Juvenile Crime Prevention Division before retiring in 1982, helping pave the way for generations of women who followed.

More than seven decades later, women serve throughout HPD in roles ranging from patrol and community policing to investigations, command and executive leadership. Their careers reflect how opportunities for women in law enforcement have evolved and the many different paths a career in the profession can take.

For Corporal Chasity Hovey, 13 years with HPD have brought opportunities to connect with the community in new ways. In July, Hovey became a certified Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) officer after graduating with the 41st D.A.R.E. Officer Training Class. She now works with fifth graders, helping them develop the skills needed to make safe and responsible decisions, an opportunity she describes as one of the most rewarding parts of her career.

The opportunities to grow and serve can also take officers across different assignments throughout their careers. During her 21 years with HPD, Detective Regina Han-Inamine has worked in patrol, narcotics and vice, intelligence, operations and support units.

For the past four years, she has drawn from those experiences while helping lay the groundwork for HPD’s Real-Time Investigation Center, developing the technology, procedures, training and resources needed to provide officers with timely information in the field. Beyond her work at HPD, she manages a busy home life with her husband while raising their daughter, balancing the responsibilities of policing and motherhood.

That progression also extends into command, where women are helping lead personnel and operations across the department. For Acting Major Sharie Souza, service is rooted in a family tradition of law enforcement. A third-generation police officer, Souza has built on her family’s history of law enforcement service through a 24-year career at HPD.

She has served in patrol, investigations, human resources and training, including seven years as a field training officer mentoring newer officers. She has since risen through the ranks to acting major and chief of staff in the Office of the Chief, where she continues to support the department and its future direction.

Outside of HPD, Souza is a wife of 26 years, mother of four and grandmother of two. A lifelong competitive hula dancer, she also serves as a co-lead for Inspire Church’s Pilina Hula group. For Souza, service extends beyond the badge, shaping how she leads, mentors others and contributes to her family, department and community.

At the executive level, Acting Assistant Chief Gail Beckley has served with HPD since 1992, building a career that began in patrol and progressed through a variety of assignments and leadership roles. She previously commanded District 8, serving the West Oʻahu community she has called home for most of her life, and now serves as acting assistant chief of the Regional Patrol Bureau.

Throughout her leadership assignments, Beckley has focused on developing people, strengthening community relationships and preparing future leaders to move the department forward. That next generation also includes members of her own family. Beckley’s stepdaughter, Officer Tiare Nakata, and grandson, Officer Jayden Isaacs-Kamakele, both joined the department in 2025 as part of HPD’s 214th recruit class.

Beckley’s experiences outside of the department have also shaped her approach to leadership. A lifelong outrigger canoe paddler, she credits the sport with reinforcing the importance of teamwork, trust and perseverance. She continues to compete locally and internationally, including representing Team Hawaiʻi at the International Vaʻa Federation World Sprints in Singapore in August. She is now training for the Nā Wāhine O Ke Kai women’s outrigger canoe world championship later this month.  

The paths of the women featured reflect the diverse experiences and opportunities that can shape a career in law enforcement.

Across generations, women have built careers at HPD through different roles, experiences and opportunities, each bringing their own skills and perspectives to the profession. While their paths may differ, together their stories reflect how opportunities for women in law enforcement have evolved and the important role women continue to play in serving, developing and leading at HPD and in the community.