Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Maafala’s retirement after nearly 30 years on the force comes after the department’s new chief reassigned him and other union leaders.

Maafala had been in a unit that provides peer support and counseling for officers, their families and civilian staff members experiencing trauma and grief. He was reassigned to patrol Waikiki.

Maafala says his retirement has nothing to do with the reassignment

The union filed a complaint that says the department can’t arbitrarily reassign a union official without cause.

Maafala has been president of the union for 18 years.