Maui police chief placed on paid leave during commission investigation

Oct 08, 2026

Maui's police chief has been put on paid leave while a corruption probe inside his department plays out — bad news for the department's leadership, but a sign the civilian oversight board is finally pushing back.

  • Police commissioners voted unanimously to place Chief John Pelletier on paid leave, effective immediately, until their outside investigation wraps up.
  • The probe looks at how Pelletier oversaw the department's Criminal Intelligence Unit, a team that reported straight to him and has since been shut down.
  • The unit's former head, Lieutenant Michael Lala, was charged by the FBI with taking regular cash payments to shield drug traffickers, cockfighting rings, and illegal fireworks sellers.
  • Pelletier has not been charged with any crime or accused of breaking department rules, and an earlier commission had declined to put him on leave.
  • Deputy Chief Wade Maeda, who defended Pelletier at the meeting, was named acting chief.

Outlook: There is no timeline for the investigation, so Maui's police department stays under temporary leadership indefinitely.

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