WAILUKU — Maui Police Chief Gary Yabuta last week announced the promotions of Officer Myles Won of the Wailuku Patrol Division, Officer Randy Esperanza of the Vice Narcotics Division and Officer Nelson Hamilton of Lanai Patrol Division to the rank of sergeant/detective.

Sgt. Won, a resident of Maui since 1987, joined Maui Police Department in January 1995 and began his career as a patrol officer in the Lahaina District. He transferred to Wailuku Patrol shortly after. 

This 15-and-a-half-year veteran served in the department’s Crime Reduction Unit and Field Training Program. He has trained dozens of recruits as a field training officer for the last nine years. Won will be assigned to Lanai Patrol District.

Sgt. Esperanza, a 14-and-a-half-year veteran of MPD was born on Oahu and began his police career working in the Wailuku Patrol Division. He was assigned to the Molokai District in 1997 as a patrol officer. 

After serving one year in Molokai, he was assigned to Lahaina Patrol for the next four years, where he became a member of the Special Response Team and a field training officer. In 2001, he transferred to the Vice Narcotics Division. He will be assigned to the Molokai Patrol District.

Sgt. Nelson Hamilton was born in Portland, Oregon, and raised on Oahu. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served six years in the Marine Corps Reserves.

He moved to Maui to join the Police Department in 1998. He began his patrol duties in Wailuku Patrol District, and in 1999 was assigned to Lanai and took up an interest in narcotics investigations. He has been the senior officer for the majority of search warrants served on Lanai. He will be assigned to the District of Molokai for one year.