Kona Crime Prevention Committee Honors Officer John Harvey as Officer of the Month

The Hawai‘i Police Department is pleased to announce that Officer John Harvey was recognized by the Kona Crime Prevention Committee as Officer of the Month for July 2025 for his thorough investigative work and initiative in uncovering a fraudulent scheme targeting visitors to West Hawai‘i.

On May 23, 2025, Kona Community Policing officers were assigned to investigate a complaint involving a tourist whose rental car had been immobilized near the popular Ka‘awaloa Trailhead in Captain Cook. The visitor reported that her vehicle, legally parked on public property, had been fitted with a “Barnacle”. A Barnacle is a device similar to a briefcase that suctions to a vehicle’s windshield and can’t be removed until payment is made via an app.

The victim followed the instructions on the “Barnacle” and paid the requested fee in full through a mobile app to remove the device, with a promised partial refund upon return of the device to a drop box located at the Keauhou Scenic Lookout. Further instructions left on the vehicle’s windshield via a citation, identified a locally owned business as the enforcing entity.

Officer Harvey took the lead on the case and quickly located a return drop box for the Barnacle device, which had been mounted to a guardrail on County property at the Keauhou Scenic Lookout. Through extensive research, Officer Harvey identified the local business and individual operating the scheme and determined that surrounding landowners had not authorized the use of the Barnacle on their private properties.

On May 27, 2025, the suspect voluntarily came to Kealakehe Police Station for an interview. Officer Harvey learned the individual had three outstanding warrants and was not licensed to drive. He was immediately arrested for the warrants and for driving without a license. Based on Officer Harvey’s detailed investigation and coordination with the Hawai‘i County Prosecutor’s Office, the suspect was also arrested and charged with additional offenses related to the use of the Barnacle device, including theft, fraud, criminal tampering, and contempt of court.

Officer Harvey exemplifies the values of integrity, accountability, and public service. His professionalism, attention to detail, and strong work ethic make him a respected role model within Kona Patrol.

Each month, the Kona Crime Prevention Committee honors a police officer in West Hawai‘i who has gone above and beyond the call of duty. Officers are nominated by their supervisors in recognition of their exemplary service to the community.