Special Report

The Police Files

April 2023

Friday, April 7

Bodycams Are Becoming ‘Second Nature’ For Cops But Piling On Work For Prosecutors

March 2023

Tuesday, March 14

In The Line Of Duty? Kealoha Ruling Raises Questions About Public’s Obligation To Cops

Friday, March 10

Big Island Police Shoot And Kill Man In Kailua-Kona

January 2023

Tuesday, January 24

Police In Hawaii Killed 2 People Last Year. Is It A Sign Of A Downward Trend?

December 2022

Wednesday, December 21

Graveyard Shift: Honolulu Pays Police $1 Million In Overtime To Guard Morgue Trailers

September 2022

Monday, September 26

‘A Career Of Sacrifice’: Honolulu Police Grapple With Hiring New Officers While Keeping Veterans

June 2022

Thursday, June 30

The Cost Of Police Misconduct: Honolulu Spent Over $18 Million In Legal Settlements

May 2022

Tuesday, May 31

Police Patrol: Riding With HPD In Downtown Honolulu Underscores Staffing Needs

April 2022

Sunday, April 17

How A Honolulu Man’s Plight Led To Calls For Police To Give Notice After Warrantless Searches

December 2021

Tuesday, December 21

Should Hawaii Overhaul How It Investigates Police Shootings?

Wednesday, December 1

The Power Of SHOPO: Here’s How The Police Union Contract Drives Public Policy

November 2021

Monday, November 29

Convicted Cop In Kealoha Case Gets His Job Back In Arbitration

Tuesday, November 23

The Prosecution Of Police Misconduct Cases Essentially Stopped During The Pandemic

Monday, November 15

Police Arbitration Decisions Are Raising Concerns Throughout The Country

Sunday, November 14

This Deputy Sheriff Was Twice Accused Of Sex Assault And Fired. Then He Got His Job Back

Wednesday, November 10

In Hawaii, Punishment For Bad Cops Often Doesn’t Stick. Here’s Why

October 2021

Sunday, October 31

HPD’s Loose Pursuit Policy Leads To Crashes In A Third Of Chases

Tuesday, October 26

Hawaii May Not Set Minimum Qualifications For Police Until 2024

Monday, October 25

New Video Allegedly Shows Honolulu Police Leaving Scene Of Makaha Crash

Thursday, October 14

HPD Reviewing New Bodycam Policy After Judge’s Ruling

September 2021

Monday, September 27

Protection For A Price: Waikiki Businesses Pay Extra For Police

Thursday, September 23

Big Island Police Killings Often Involve Troubled Victims And Guns — And The Number Has Spiked

Monday, September 20

How An Arbitrator’s Decision Can Cause Problems For Police Agencies Years Later

Friday, September 17

Hawaii Supreme Court: The Public Has A ‘Compelling’ Interest In Knowing About Police Misconduct

Thursday, September 2

How The Hawaii Supreme Court Has Shaped Policing In The State

August 2021

Wednesday, August 25

Cockfights And Corruption: How Police Arbitration Kept This Cop On The Job

Monday, August 23

The Brady List: Why Police Are Supposed To Tell Prosecutors About Dishonest Cops

July 2021

Thursday, July 15

Other States Have Tough Police Standards Boards. Hawaii’s Is Still Struggling

Friday, July 2

Proposals Seek Stronger Oversight Of Police On Maui

June 2021

Friday, June 11

Blangiardi Has Chosen A Third Police Commission Nominee But He’s Not Revealing Who It Is

Thursday, June 10

Amid Scrutiny Of HPD’s Fatal Shooting Of Teenager, Police Union Defends Officers

Wednesday, June 9

Family Of Man Killed By HPD Wants Officer To Face Criminal Charges

Monday, June 7

Honolulu Joins A National Debate: When Should Police Bodycam Footage Be Released?

Thursday, June 3

HPD Officer At The Center Of A $1 Million Wrongful Death Settlement Has A History Of Complaints

Tuesday, June 1

HPD’s Use Of Lethal Force Is Near The US Average. But There’s Far More To The Story

May 2021

Monday, May 24

Honolulu Police Don’t Always Turn On Their Body Cams. That Needs To Change, Commissioners Say

Tuesday, May 11

Hawaii Police Shootings Board Says It Will Step Up Its Work

Monday, May 10

Hawaii Police Shootings Review Board Has At Least A Dozen Cases

April 2021

Thursday, April 29

Honolulu Prosecutor Promises Independent Investigations Into Police Shootings

Wednesday, April 28

Honolulu Prosecutors Have Long Been Stymied When Investigating Police Killings. That’s About To Change

Bodycams Are Becoming ‘Second Nature’ For Cops But Piling On Work For Prosecutors Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Bodycams Are Becoming ‘Second Nature’ For Cops But Piling On Work For Prosecutors

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HPD is reupping and possibly expanding its body camera program to more officers.

In The Line Of Duty? Kealoha Ruling Raises Questions About Public’s Obligation To Cops David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

In The Line Of Duty? Kealoha Ruling Raises Questions About Public’s Obligation To Cops

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Attorneys see an opportunity in a recent Hawaii Supreme Court decision.

Big Island Police Shoot And Kill Man In Kailua-Kona Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Big Island Police Shoot And Kill Man In Kailua-Kona

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No body camera footage exists because the plainclothes officers involved weren't wearing cameras.

Police In Hawaii Killed 2 People Last Year. Is It A Sign Of A Downward Trend? Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Police In Hawaii Killed 2 People Last Year. Is It A Sign Of A Downward Trend?

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Data that captures trends in police killings over the past five decades shows a steep decline across the U.S., even while the 2022 national total shows little change in their frequency.
Graveyard Shift: Honolulu Pays Police $1 Million In Overtime To Guard Morgue Trailers Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Graveyard Shift: Honolulu Pays Police $1 Million In Overtime To Guard Morgue Trailers

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The city is paying up to five times the cost of private security but says it's worth it.
‘A Career Of Sacrifice’: Honolulu Police Grapple With Hiring New Officers While Keeping Veterans Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

‘A Career Of Sacrifice’: Honolulu Police Grapple With Hiring New Officers While Keeping Veterans

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Offering better pay, working conditions and flexible scheduling could help retain veterans, but challenges dealing with mental illness and providing affordable housing place roadblocks on recruiting new officers.
The Cost Of Police Misconduct: Honolulu Spent Over $18 Million In Legal Settlements iStock

The Cost Of Police Misconduct: Honolulu Spent Over $18 Million In Legal Settlements

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Meanwhile, the officers involved in the cases have faced mixed consequences.
Police Patrol: Riding With HPD In Downtown Honolulu Underscores Staffing Needs Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Police Patrol: Riding With HPD In Downtown Honolulu Underscores Staffing Needs

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The Honolulu Police Department has about 350 officer vacancies as the department prepares to onboard a new chief.
How A Honolulu Man’s Plight Led To Calls For Police To Give Notice After Warrantless Searches Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

How A Honolulu Man’s Plight Led To Calls For Police To Give Notice After Warrantless Searches

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The City Council passed a resolution requesting that HPD inform residents after doing warrantless searches when they're away.