As the former substation lieutenant, Hirokawa stepped up to bat last month when Capt. Dennis Bacon was promoted to commander of San Jose headquarters.

Hirokawa, who has been on the Santa Clara force for nearly 23 years, has a rich history with the Saratoga-based substation, where he spent 11 years as a patrol deputy.

A lieutenant for several years before his recent promotion to captain, Hirokawa has moved swiftly through the ranks thanks to a hearty work ethic, outgoing manner and a period of frequent retirements and bureau changes. He has spent time in nearly every division possible, including jails, courts, public information, investigation and community services.

Although Hirokawa was enthusiastic about his work within San Jose, especially as a detective, he is even more fervent about his appreciation for being promoted and placed in Saratoga.

"I think this station is a model of community policing," Hirokawa said. "It's a unique community that requires unique ways of providing service. It's demanding, but challenging."

For Hirokawa, meeting the needs of the many communities the station serves is a priority. "Each city around here holds a special spot for me," he said. "We serve them equally, because they are all important."

Years ago, when Hirokawa was a deputy, he actively sought to work at the substation. He liked the communities and commanders in charge.

"I always had a dream of being a commander, but I never thought that would happen," Hirokawa said. "I never thought it was obtainable. So now that the dream is a reality, the pressure is on. We have had a lot of great commanders who provided great leadership."

Hirokawa's closest contemporary, Capt. Bacon, was his role model and mentor. "It will be hard to replace him," Hirokawa said. "He, as well as former commanders Jeff Miles, Bob Wilson and Darryl Thomas, all set a standard. Bacon was a really sharp person. I'm going to try to live up to that, but it puts a lot of pressure on me."

As a former patrol deputy, Hirokawa has the advantage of knowing the issues facing his team and as such, he is ready to accommodate them. He believes placing the community first and guiding deputies in personal communication are key priorities.

"At the commander level, my job is mostly administrative. But I set the tone, the guidelines and give the deputies an idea of where we should be going. They are the ones who make a difference. They are out there walking the beat and making contact every day. All I can do is give them guidance, so I try to lead by example."

One of Hirokawa's main guiding principles is to maintain a professional demeanor during all interactions, even when those encounters go bad.

"No matter who you are dealing with, you always maintain a professional attitude. As police officers, we have a huge amount of power. What other profession provides an opportunity to deny someone else's civil rights? You cannot take that power casually," he said.

Catching burglars is probably Hirokawa's favorite work. "I never worried about what penalties they would face because I just felt that I had done my job. I took someone off the streets that could hurt another. I've prevented suicides, rapes, burglaries ... it might just be one person, but you made a difference in the community. Who else can do that?"

"When you start out you think you can change the world. Obviously you can't," Hirokawa said. "But once you understand what you can do, then you can make differences with individuals in the community, which has a lot of value."

Hirokawa does not claim to be any sharper or hardworking than his predecessors. However, he plans to focus on the one element that is slightly different about him, which is his deep desire to connect with the community.

"If I could meet the standard set by previous captains, then I'd be happy. But also it is really important to me that the department feels like part of the community," Hirokawa said. "Most of the officers that work here can't afford to live here, but that doesn't give them an excuse. As public servants that play an important role in the community, we are still responsible to feel connected."