Former Hawaii Department of Public Safety Director Ted Sakai died Monday after a long struggle with lung cancer, corrections officials said.

Sakai had been chair of the Hawaii Correctional Oversight Commission when it was formed in 2019 but stepped down in 2023 to undergo treatment for cancer.

Prior to joining the commission he had held various positions for many years within the Department of Public Safety, now called the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He was public safety director from 1998 until he retired in 2002 then came back to lead the agency again in 2012 until 2014.

Tommy Johnson, director of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement: “I considered him a mentor in the corrections field. He will be deeply missed.”

Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez also expressed her condolences and sadness about Sakai’s death.

“Ted was always a voice of reason,” Lopez said in a statement. “I especially appreciated his kindness and respect for those around him. I can say he will be truly missed by everyone who knew him and had their lives changed by him.”