Police Officer Troy Anthony Taman Manahane is escorted by Corrections officers at the local courthouse on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 9, 2024.
POLICE Officer Troy Anthony Taman Manahane has been accused of using his service firearm to assault a person on Jan. 21, 2024.
Manahane, 26, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, and disturbing the peace.
He appeared in the custody of the Department of Corrections before Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho for a bail hearing on Wednesday afternoon.
Judge Camacho imposed a $10,000 cash bail on Manahane.
As the Public Defender’s Office is conflicted, the court appointed attorney Cong Nie to represent the defendant. Assistant Attorney General Frances Demapan appeared for the government.
Manahane was remanded to the custody of Corrections and ordered to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 16 at 10 a.m. and for an arraignment on Oct. 21 at 9 a.m.
According to Assistant Chief of Police Simon Manacop, “The arrest of one of our own officers is a sobering reminder that police officers must always uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability. As law enforcement officers, we take an oath to protect and serve our communities with respect, fairness, and compassion. When one of our own fails to meet these standards, it undermines the trust that is essential to do our jobs effectively.”
Manacop said Manahane was placed on administrative duty. “But now with criminal charges filed, he most likely will be placed on leave pending outcome of his case,” Manacop added.
In a statement, DPS Commissioner Anthony Macaranas said: “DPS would like to assure the public that we take allegations of police misconduct extremely seriously. We will ensure that due process and justice for everyone involved, including Officer Manahane, is served. We recognize that an arrest of an officer may be portrayed as a betrayal of the trust that our communities have placed in us. This type of allegation is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our department.”
DPS will hold a press conference today, Thursday, Oct. 10, at 10 a.m. regarding the arrest of Manahane.
The complaint
According to the complaint against Manahane, he and another police officer, Keanu Hosono, responded to a domestic incident in Susupe on Jan. 21, 2024.
The suspect, Sheldon Kaainoa, said he had a verbal dispute with his girlfriend, did not want their argument to escalate, and chose to leave their apartment until his girlfriend calmed down.
He said he was standing outside the apartment when he saw a police car pulling up in the parking lot. Kaainoa said he ran to the second floor to evade the officers and jumped out of a window.
Later, Kaainoa was apprehended by Hosono and was instructed to sit down. Manahane then approached Kaainoa and told him to discard the pen he was holding and get in the back seat of a marked police car.
Kaainoa said he was in the back passenger seat when he saw Manahane unbuckling his police belt and brandishing a gun.
Kaainoa said Manahane pointed the gun at him and asked, “What would you do if my partner shot you?”
Kaainoa said he asked Manahane three times to put the gun away.
Kaainoa said he expected to be arrested for domestic violence, but was instead dropped off at his apartment
When interviewed by an Internal Affairs investigator, Manahane denied threatening Kaainoa with his gun, but admitted that he unbuckled his police belt and dropped Kaainoa at his apartment.
For his part, Hosono said he saw Manahane aiming a gun at Kaainoa. Hosono said he didn’t mention it earlier because it was his “first time to see a seasoned officer point a gun at a civilian, and it freaked him out.”
Hosono said he feared being labeled a snitch and ridiculed by other officers.
Hosono said Manahane, while on administrative duty, implied he had close connections with Internal Affairs investigators, including Commissioner Macaranas.
“This suggestion prevented Hosono from fully disclosing the details at the beginning of the investigation,” the complaint stated.