The University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu Behavior Intervention Team (BIT) was named the Organization of the Year at the 40th annual TOP COP Hawaii awards luncheon, which honors the outstanding men and women of Hawaiʻi’s law-enforcement and private-security community who exemplify courage, leadership and selfless service in keeping our islands safe. The mission of BIT is to promote a safe and effective learning and working environment for current students and employees by assisting individuals who may be exhibiting concerning behaviors.
“The efforts and leadership of the UH West Oʻahu Behavior Intervention Team serves as the catalyst and model for threat assessment and management team efforts in Hawaiʻi—both in the public and private sectors—and has allowed the state to benefit from federal and state funding (over $3.2 million) to continue those efforts through necessary grants,” said nominator Ed Howard, owner and CEO of Pax Bello Security Solutions Hawaii, LLC.
At the awards ceremony on October 17, the UH West Oʻahu BIT was recognized for pioneering proactive behavioral-threat-assessment strategies and promoting campus safety statewide. This year’s celebration recognized organizations and individuals across Hawaiʻi’s federal, state, county and private-security sectors, each nominated for acts of professionalism, bravery and dedication that go above and beyond the call of duty.
“The UH West Oʻahu BIT has been instrumental in paving the way for other threat assessment and management teams in the state since 2017,” said Bev Baligad, UH West Oʻahu director of compliance and manager/chair, Behavior Intervention Team. “While our BIT focuses primarily on violence prevention efforts within our campus, those efforts have provided positive ripple effects for communities within our state.”
Established in 1985, TOP COP Hawaii is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public safety by recognizing excellence in law enforcement and private security and by awarding scholarships to students pursuing criminal-justice studies.
