Hawaii Harbor Police

The Hawaii Department of Transportation Harbor Police (HP) is the principal maritime law enforcement agency of the State of Hawaii, headquartered at Honolulu Harbor. HP is unique because they are one of the few U.S. police forces dedicated exclusively, but not limited to port activities. The Hawaii Director of Transportation appoints Harbor Enforcement Officers who are authorized to:

- Conduct any enforcement action in any commercial harbor area and any area over which the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) and the Director of Transportation has jurisdiction under Chapter 266, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

- Inspect and examine at reasonable hours any premises, and the buildings and other structures thereon, where harbors or harbor facilities are situated, or where harbor-related activities are operated or conducted; and

- Subject to limitations as may be imposed by the Director of Transportation, serve and execute warrants, arrest offenders, and serve notices and orders.^[1]

Chapter 266, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is unique because it implicitly confers the powers of police officers upon the Hawaii Director of Transportation, and any officer, employee, or representative of the department, but the Director chooses to limit those powers to appointed Harbor Enforcement Officers.

Rank structure and insignia

HP follows a paramilitary like rank structure, which is identified below:

Rank	Title	Insignia	Badge Color
Chief of Police	Chief		Gold. Rank inscribed on badge. Badge number is #1
Lieutenant	HEO IV		Gold. Rank inscribed on badge
Sergeant	HEO III		Gold. Rank inscribed on badge
Officer	HEO II	No Insignia	Gold. Rank inscribed on badge

Patrol Vehicles

As of 2016, HP has transitioned to the Ford Explorer Police Interceptor as the Ford Crown Victoria is no longer in production. However, HP continues to maintain a handful of Ford products as supplemental units.

Boats

HP maintains and operates a 27-foot, aluminum-hull vessel christened Kia`iawa, meaning "harbor guardian," which is used to patrol both Honolulu and Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbors. Kia`iawa was christened in 2013.

HP also utilizes the Moku Maka`i, a 21-foot Boston Whaler, in service for nearly two decades, and will be maintained as a supplemental patrol craft.

The Kia`iawa "cost approximately $390,000 which was fully provided by a federal grant."^[2]

Kia`iawa features upgraded equipment over the Moku Maka'i, including better radar, GPS and depth-finding devices. "The vessel is also equipped with a closed-cabin and shock-absorbing seats to minimize impacts in rough water conditions."^[3]

Jurisdiction

Harbor Enforcement Officers are authorized to enforce the Hawaii Revised Statutes and the ordinances of the various counties throughout the State of Hawaii, as prescribed by law. For example, the Statewide Traffic Code, Chapter 291C, Hawaii Revised Statutes, defines 'police officer' as: "every officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations."^[4] HP is authorized to 'regulate traffic or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations' pursuant to Chapters 91, 266 and 291C, Hawaii Revised Statutes. Rules pertaining to 'traffic' on parcels subject to the jurisdiction of the department are regulated by Chapter 19-43, Hawaii Administrative Rules.^[5]

Proposed Law Enforcement Mergers

In August 2017, HDOT indicated that it was planning on merging HP and State of Hawaii Sheriff's Office deputies assigned to the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport into a single law enforcement agency controlled by the department.^[6] In January 2018, House Bill No. 2402 and Senate Bill No. 2829 were introduced by the respective presiding officers of each chamber of the Hawaii State Legislature on behalf of the Governor of Hawaii. The bills are identical companion measures which would have created an "Office of Law Enforcement and Security for Transportation Systems" in HDOT.^[7][8] As of April 2018, the bills have not been scheduled for any legislative hearings, have failed to meet internal legislative deadlines, and are unlikely to become law.^[9]

Senate Bill No. 2909, also introduced in January 2018, initially proposed to consolidate and place HP, the State of Hawaii Sheriff's Office, the Hawaii Department of Public Safety Narcotics Enforcement Division, and the Hawaii Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement under the jurisdiction of the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General. As of April 2018, the bill has been amended to require the Hawaii Legislative Reference Bureau to "to conduct a study that examines consolidating the law enforcement activities and responsibilities of various state divisions and agencies under a single, centralized state enforcement division or agency".^[10]

See also

• Hawaii Department of Transportation
• Honolulu Harbor

References