The statewide police union plays an outsized role in everything from police shootings to investigating officer misconduct. But the public is kept in the dark about important issues being negotiated in the contract.

Daniel Sellers was indicted along with the former HPD police chief and his prosecutor wife in 2017. After taking a plea deal, he was fired by the department.

More than 500 complaints were made against HPD employees last year, leading to recommendations for dozens of firings and suspensions.

Hawaii has one of the highest rates of fired officers getting their jobs back through arbitration but other communities are facing the same issue.

The deputy has already put the state on the hook for more than $7 million in damages, a case that revealed shortcomings in the jail’s practices for handling women prisoners.

A Civil Beat investigation found that arbitrators in Hawaii overturn a police chief’s decision to suspend or fire an officer nearly 65% of the time.

Honolulu leaves it up to officers when to start a chase. That’s unusual, a Civil Beat review shows, and many HPD pursuits would not be allowed in other jurisdictions.

The board is asking state lawmakers for more resources while researching standards already in place in other states.

The attorney who provided the video says it shows three police vehicles pursuing a Honda at a high rate of speed on Farrington Highway.