Controversial Kauai police chief, former Las Vegas officer, announces retirement

Hawaii’s Kauai County police chief, a former Las Vegas police officer, announced that he will be retiring in 2025 after a career marked by controversy.

Chief Todd Raybuck worked as a police officer in Las Vegas for 27 years before becoming Kauai’s police chief in 2019, The Associated Press previously reported. He has since been sued in a racial discrimination case and suspended without pay for mocking people of Asian descent.

Raybuck announced on Wednesday night that he will be retiring from his position sometime in 2025, according to Alden Alayvilla, public information officer for Kauai County. The announcement was made in a letter sent out to the Kauai Police Department.

Alayvilla said that Raybuck will not be receiving any kind of retirement package, meaning he will not be receiving severance.

“After 38 years of combined service to my country and community, I have decided to retire from law enforcement in 2025. It has been a privilege for me to work with many great employees in KPD and across the County, this decision did not come easily,” Raybuck wrote in his letter.

‘Difficult times’

Raybuck wrote in his letter that his family was affected by “difficult times” faced during his career.

“My family has provided me unwavering support and unconditional love without complaint. While they have enjoyed the great opportunities and rewards, they have also shared in carrying the emotional burdens that come during difficult times,” Raybuck wrote. “For this reason, I have decided to prioritize spending more time with my family and concentrating on my health and wellness.”

In the racial discrimination lawsuit filed in September 2021, Raybuck was accused of discriminating against a police captain for being Japanese American, allegedly squinting his eyes, bowing repeatedly and saying that he couldn’t trust Japanese people, according to reporting by The Associated Press.

Earlier that same year, Raybuck was suspended without pay for five days in April for making discriminatory comments after an investigation by the Kauai Police Commission found that he mocked people of Asian descent, violating the county discrimination policies and creating a hostile work environment.

“In hindsight, I recognize regardless of my intent, my words have caused people pain,” Raybuck previously said in a statement. “I look forward to the opportunity to apologize directly to those who have been hurt by my words and I hope that we may repair our relationships moving forward.”

Police commission to meet soon

On Friday, the county’s police commission is slated to discuss the chief of police’s retirement.

Raybuck is scheduled to appear before the police commission on normal business, providing regular monthly updates.

However, on a separate agenda item, the commission will be reviewing two investigation reports involving allegations that Raybuck retaliated against an officer.

This is not the first time the commission considered disciplinary action against Raybuck. In a meeting on Sept. 27, the commission voted to proceed with disciplinary proceedings against him on the allegation that he mishandled a firearm.

The Kauai Police Department “does not have any additional details regarding Chief Raybuck’s resignation” and declined to comment on the matter, according to Tiana Victorino, public information officer for the department.

Victorino said that Rabuck is currently out of the office attending a conference in Jacksonville, Florida, and is expected to return next week.

Contact Estelle Atkinson at eatkinson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @estellelilym on X and @estelleatkinson.bsky.social on Bluesky.