Former Honolulu Police Department Chief Arthur “Joe ” Logan demanded $784, 240 from the city after he alleged that Mayor Rick Blangiardi overstepped his authority and threatened him and his family if he didn’t step down.
The city did not meet Logan’s demands and he and his attorney Joseph T. Rosenbaum and unnamed city officials.
Logan announced after being on May 23, 2022.
In the 12-page letter sent to the city on June 25, Logan demanded payment of “all the wages ” he would have earned in the final two years of his five year year term, or $534, 240.
Logan also asked for $250, 000 for “emotional distress, harm to reputation, other special damages ” and money for attorneys’ fees.
And Logan wants a written “apology from the Mayor acknowledging the wrongful nature ” of his ouster.
Logan maintained an “unwavering commitment to upholding the law ” and ensuring that the Honolulu Police Department operated within legal boundaries, even when doing so “conflicted with Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s demands, ” Rosenbaum wrote.
On May 29, Rosenbaum alleged that Honolulu Police Commission chair Kenneth Silva, a former Honolulu Fire Department chief, and then-commission member Carrie K.S. Okinaga, an attorney, met with Blangiardi to “protest and ask for reconsideration ” after Logan informed them about Blangiardi’s threats to force Logan’s resignation.
“In the interest of transparency, and because the matter is now the subject of public litigation, the City is releasing both the demand letter submitted by Chief Logan’s attorney and the City’s response, ” read a statement to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser from the city Department of the Corporation Counsel.
The demand letter is another episode from an ongoing political drama created by Blangiardi’s efforts to replace Logan with former Hawaii Police Chief Ben Moszkowicz.
that Blangiardi’s desire to have him serve as interim HPD chief was not a vision shared by the Honolulu Police Commission.
Moszkowicz lost his job when the Hawaii County Police Commission would not let him pull his retirement letter. The Honolulu Police Commission selected HPD Deputy Chief Rade K. Vanic to serve as interim chief.
In a July 11 response to Logan from Deputy Corporation Counsel Maria C. Cook, Blangiardi and the city argued that Logan was “never terminated ” by the city or Blangiardi and “voluntarily submitted his resignation ” on June 2 to the police commission.
“When Chief Logan informed the Mayor and Managing Director of his decision to resign, he relayed that he had consulted his wife and that she not only supported but also was pleased with his decision. More importantly, at no time did he state or imply that he was reluctant to resign or that his decision was in any way coerced or against his will, ” wrote Cook, who noted that the police commission had taken no action on Logan’s employment.
The commission “serves as the sole appointing and removing authority ” for the chief of police, Cook wrote.
“The Mayor does not possess the authority to hire or fire the Chief of Police. Your own letter confirms that Chief Logan made the decision to resign, ” she said.
Blangiardi wants that authority over HPD and the Honolulu Fire Department, long arguing that he cannot be held responsible for public safety without the ability to manage all aspects of it.
He will introduce a charter amendment to bring the authority to fire and hire the police and fire chiefs to the Office of the Mayor.
Logan alleges that Blan gi ardi’s displeasure came from several orders he refused to carry out starting in 2022, including conducting homeless sweeps he deemed in violation of a federal court decision.
He also accused Blan gi ardi of micromanaging HPD and interfering with civilian staff matters.
In the lawsuit and letter, Logan alleges that Blangiardi told him, “You knew this was coming, I am telling you to resign, or I will make it very difficult for you and your family, and you know I can.”
Logan’s allegations that he engaged in a “pattern of protected activities ” and that Blangiardi responded with “antagonistic conduct ” leading to Logan’s forced resignation are “absurd and categorically false, ” wrote Cook on July 11.
“The City possesses overwhelming evidence, including credible witness testimony, directly contradicting these baseless claims. Please make sure your client is aware that the City intends to vigorously defend against the allegations contained in your letter and will produce compelling evidence that utterly defeats Chief Logan’s assertions, ” wrote Cook.
“Accordingly, we hereby demand that Chief Logan retract these unfounded statements and refrain from making similar assertions in the future. Chief Logan’s resignation was voluntary, made with the support of his wife. Any claim to the contrary is a misguided attempt to rewrite history and wholly unsupported by the facts and the law. Should this matter proceed to court, we are confident the claims will be summarily dismissed or decided in favor of the City.”