Poor Ben Moszkowicz. No one ever sat him down and explained Tarzan’s Rule for Moving Through Life:

When you’re swinging through the trees, don’t let go of the vine in your hand until the next vine is firmly — really and truly tightly — in your grasp. An ill-timed gap between releasing the vine that’s holding you and grasping on to the one in front of you can mean a long, damaging fall to the jungle floor where all sorts of predators lie in wait.

I did not make this up, though I don’t think Tarzan did either. I heard it years ago from a “bad influence friend” telling me not to break up with my prom date before I had secured a new prom date. Versions of it exist on the internet.

It’s not bad advice when contemplating a risky career change.

It is, however, a jerk move when applied to relationships.

Hawaiʻi island police chief Ben Moszkowicz thought he was going to be the new acting Honolulu police chief, so he sent a memo to his officers on June 4 that said, “Effective July 16, 2025, I will be leaving the Hawaii Police Department and joining the Honolulu Police Department as the Interim Police Chief.”

But that Honolulu vine was not yet in his hand.

He rescinded his letter of resignation hours later.

Ai-ya. That sound you heard echoing across the ʻAlenuihāhā channel was Moszkowicz’s career hitting the ground.

Of course, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi had a hand in the fall. Maybe Blangiardi was his “bad influence friend” saying, “You got this. Start packing your stuff.”

However, the Honolulu Police Commission picked former interim Chief Rade Vanic to be the new interim chief. Vanic, a man with Kamehameha Kapālama credentials, 25 years on the force, and a name that makes him sound like a power hitter on the UH men’s volleyball team, held things together in the gap after Chief Susan Ballard quit and Chief Joe Logan started, and was called up to do it again.

So now Moszkowicz is having to slowly climb back up the tree. Members of the Hawaiʻi Police Commission aren’t sure they want to take him back.

On June 26, Moszkowicz released a statement reaffirming his commitment to Hawaiʻi island. It read like a tearful apology from a guy who just realized he cheated on the best girl he will ever know. Sadly, he only realized his mistake because she said, “Oh. OK. Bye,” and walked. Someone gave her the talk about boundaries and self-esteem.

The apology letter read, in part:

“After careful reflection and consideration, I made some decisions earlier this month that I now realize were premature. For that, I am truly sorry. I deeply regret that my actions over the past few weeks have caused pain and confusion for so many people. I take full responsibility for my decisions and actions, and I hope to demonstrate through my actions that I remain fully committed to our shared future. … Despite the events of the past few weeks, my heart and my long-term commitment remain here, in service to the Big Island. This community has given me the honor of leading a department filled with hardworking, dedicated professionals. I am committed to supporting our Big Island communities and to continuing to build trust, safety, and accountability with the residents of Hawai‘i County. The communities that we all serve deserve committed leadership.

Moszkowicz seemed like a top contender for the top HPD job three years ago. In public interviews, he came off as knowledgeable, affable and passionate about the job. When he went to Hawaiʻi island to be police chief in that department, people were saying it was a real coup for that community to get someone like him. 

But this was messy, awkward, and most of all, revealing.

Is Moszkowicz sincere? Will he renew his vows, walk the line, grow roots in the rich volcanic soil and stop looking for the next big thrill or the new best thing? He seems like a sincere person, but I will tell you as a person who grew up on the neighbor islands, we develop a keen sense for city folks who just want to downshift a little bit in a smaller town until they get called back to the big leagues again.

It was telling during his swearing-in ceremony in 2023 that the police chaplain prayed that he be accepted by the people of the Big Island. Of all the qualifications of leadership, that rare ability to win acceptance, respect and trust in a small town may be the most important. This may be a career mishap, but when it comes to high-profile positions in close-knit communities, it’s more about the relationship.