Honolulu Police Chief Boisse Correa attended a Honolulu Police Commission meeting yesterday to discuss his health and said he is on injured leave and that a deputy is running the department.

Correa refused to answer questions about a back injury that has sidelined him for nearly a month, nor would he discuss a timetable for return or his role in the day-to-day operations of the department.

Speaking after meeting with the commission, Correa said his doctors have ordered him to stay home until "this issue, my health" is resolved.

He said he suffered an injury while on duty but declined to say what he hurt or when he hurt it.

Police Commission Chairman Boyd S. Andrade said the chief told the commission that he is battling a back injury and that he might need to have a second surgery, which could force him to miss significant time.

Correa was on leave for nearly a month last summer after undergoing back surgery.

Walking under his own power but visibly stiff, he thanked the community for being "supportive" and said Deputy Chief Paul Putzulu is "acting chief" and that he had confidence in his command staff.

Correa, 61, a 37-year veteran of the department who has been the city's top cop since August 2004, declined to say whether he was still making day-to-day operational decisions other than to say he is "conferring with commanders" on a daily basis.

"I will continue to have day-to-day contact with the command staff. When you're the chief, you're the chief, and the command and control structure has not changed," said Correa. "I'm the chief, I'm not going away, I'm going to come back."

It was Correa's first public appearance since a celebration for the Honolulu Police Department's 75th anniversary on Aug. 11. Correa said he was at the department's Alapa'i Street headquarters yesterday to discuss his health with the commission.

He walked away when asked by a reporter if he was considering retirement.

"The mayor is OK with giving him (Correa) some time to deal with his injury. He has confidence in Paul in his role as acting chief," said Bill Brennan, press secretary for Mayor Mufi Hannemann. "The situation needs to be monitored by the Police Commission and by the chief himself."

Andrade, speaking after the commission meeting, said Correa told the commission he is seeking a second opinion from another doctor about his back.

"If it's a back surgery, that's not good. I have that (problem)," said Andrade. "We have full confidence in the chief, and his staff has done a wonderful job and he's (Correa) satisfied."

Since late August, Correa has been on paid injured leave from the department but has been holding meetings and interviewing candidates for promotion over the phone and via video conferencing from his home.

Commanders also drive to Correa's home for meetings.

HPD has not made an official announcement about Correa's condition or his working from home for the past month.

The Police Commission is made up of seven members appointed by the mayor who have the authority to appoint and remove the police chief.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.