‘Embodied the spirit of aloha’: Maui Police Officer Suzanne O honored at national law enforcement memorial

WASHINGTON, D.C. (HawaiiNewsNow) – Maui Police Officer Suzanne O was honored at the National Law Enforcement Officers vigil and her name was added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall in Washington, DC.

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Officer O was fatally shot in the line of duty while responding to an armed suspect. She was just 37 years old when she was killed.

Vice President JD Vance recognized her sacrifice during his remarks at the National Memorial Service at the U.S. Capitol Friday morning.

“Officer O was mortally wounded while protecting her community, laying down her life in defense of the people that she loved and served every single day,” Vice President JD Vance said.

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U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, also memorialized Officer O, who was shot and killed by a ghost gun while on duty last year.

“Officer O was a compassionate and dedicated public servant,” Hirono said. “She earned a certificate of merit in August 2023 for her work responding to the 2023 upcountry Maui wildfires. She also helped recruit Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and the Pacific Islander women to careers on law enforcement, and she embodied the spirit of aloha.”

Officer O was also included in the National Police Week resolution, which was passed in the Senate by unanimous consent.

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