Honolulu police commissioners voted 5-2 on Wednesday to appoint David Lazar as the 13th chief of the Honolulu Police Department, elevating a retired San Francisco deputy chief who never worked in Hawaii to lead the island force. The decision gives the department a new permanent head after months of acting leadership and a search that drew 41 applicants.

Lazar, 55, will now face an FBI background check before entering contract talks with the city. If confirmed, he will take command of more than 2,000 officers and civilian personnel and oversee an annual budget of more than $350 million.

The vote capped a process that had already put the finalists through interviews by Mayor Rick Blangiardi and panels made up of community members, business leaders, federal and state law enforcement officials, and county first responder agencies. Commissioners spent 90 minutes interviewing each candidate on Tuesday before settling on Lazar over Mike Lambert, who finished second and received votes from two commissioners. Scott Ebner did not receive a vote.

For HPD, the choice marks a sharp break with precedent. Lazar becomes the first officer in the department’s 94-year history to be selected as chief without ever having worked in Hawaii. The department had been led by interim Chief Rade Vanic since Arthur “Joe” Logan retired under pressure from Blangiardi on June 18, after Logan had been unanimously selected on May 23, 2022.

Lazar’s selection also cuts against the strongest public and political backing in the race. Lambert had endorsements from Gov. Josh Green, Blangiardi and the police officers’ union, and the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers said a survey found nearly 90% of respondents wanted Lambert to lead the department. Vanic, who also served as interim chief after Susan Ballard retired, was among the 41 applicants for the permanent post.

Commission Chair Laurie Foster said the search was designed to be broad and open, calling it inclusive, thorough, professional and as transparent as possible. She said the community had made its priorities clear, describing the call as modernization and transformation, “good to great.” Foster also said all three finalists could have run the department effectively, but that the commission had to choose one and now the community must rally behind the new chief. That leaves Lazar with the immediate task of winning trust inside HPD and across Honolulu after a vote that was close, contested and carried out under unusually intense public scrutiny.