When Craig Clissold started with the Honolulu Police Department in 1972, he knew immediately that he had found his calling. Craig Clissold’s work ethic and dedication to the department were evident from the beginning. Craig Clissold immediately embraced his career path with the Honolulu Police Department. While working with the police department, Craig Clissold returned to school and earned an Associate’s degree in Police Science.

Craig Clissold continued working hard at his job at the Honolulu Police Department but still felt like he could do more for both himself and the department. About 10 years after the completion of his Associate’s degree, in 1986, Craig Clissold completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Justice Management from Chaminade University. Craig Clissold had worked hard to attain the degree, especially because it meant balancing his work at the police department with the work of attaining his degree.

Craig Clissold was proud to attain that degree for several reasons. Craig Clissold could only hope that, paired with his hard work in the department, the degree would allow him to be considered for positions of greater responsibility within the department. Craig Clissold did eventually earn a promotion to lieutenant. Craig Clissold showed early that he was capable of taking on a great deal of responsibility in his ability to do quality work both at the police department and at school.

Craig Clissold is glad that he worked to attain the degrees that helped him further his career. He has enjoyed the opportunity to expand his knowledge of the law enforcement field and to have the rare opportunity to apply the curriculum to his job as he was learning it. “Being at work in the police department, while I was also in the midst of attaining my degree in Justice Management was extremely fulfilling;” said Craig Clissold, “it isn’t often that a student has the opportunity to apply new knowledge as they are learning it. It definitely made juggling school and work simultaneously more rewarding and less stressful.”

Craig Clissold is excited about taking on new opportunities to put his degree to use in the private sector as well.