Hawaii Police Department

What Hawaii Police Department does

The Hawaii Police Department (HPD) is the principal government law enforcement agency for Hawaii Island, operating under the administrative authority of the County of Hawaii with oversight from the Hawaii County Police Commission. The department provides 911 emergency response, non-emergency dispatch at (808) 935-3311, criminal investigation, traffic enforcement, drug and vice enforcement, domestic violence services, firearm permitting, fingerprinting, and inmate information services. Its underlying technology stack comprises an Enhanced 911 system with text telephone (TTY) accessibility for the deaf and hearing impaired, a centralized police dispatch and communications infrastructure, and separate Criminal Investigation Division systems serving Area I (East Hawaii, 1,685 sq miles) and Area II (West Hawaii, 2,234 sq miles). The department is not a commercial enterprise and generates no product revenue; it is funded through county budget appropriations. Limited ancillary revenue comes from merchandise sold through an affiliate (Hawaii Police Relief Association), which sells shoulder patches at $5 and challenge coins at $15 to verified law enforcement personnel only. In February 2025, HPD consolidated its previously separate East and West Vice units into a unified Vice Division under Captain Edwin Buyten, an organizational move that drove the department to become the state leader in total drug seizures during 2025.

Name

Hawaii Police Department

Legal name

Hawaii Police Department

Website

https://hawaiipolice.gov

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Hawaii Police Department is the government law enforcement agency for Hawaii Island, providing 911 emergency response, criminal investigation, traffic enforcement, vice and drug enforcement, and community policing across eight district stations organized under a dual Area I/Area II command structure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Law Enforcement Services

NAICS

Police Protection (922120)

akta.pro primary industry

Police Services (Patrol, Response & Community Policing) (BPAIAGAA)

Keywords

• Law enforcement services
• Public safety
• Emergency response
• Criminal investigations
• Community policing

Headquarters

HQ city

Hilo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Hawaii Police Department is the statutory law enforcement agency for Hawaii Island, providing 911 emergency response, non-emergency dispatch, patrol operations, criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, drug and vice enforcement, and domestic violence response. It supports these services through eight district stations organized under a dual Area I (East Hawaii, 1,685 sq mi) and Area II (West Hawaii, 2,234 sq mi) command structure, plus ancillary citizen services such as firearm permitting, police report requests, LiveScan fingerprinting, and inmate information.

Product overview

Hawai'i Police Department provides comprehensive law enforcement and public safety services across Hawai'i Island through a network of 8 district stations organized in two areas (East Hawai'i/Area I and West Hawai'i/Area II). The department offers core police services including emergency response (911), criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, and community policing programs. Supplementary services include firearm permitting, police reports, fingerprinting, domestic violence support, inmate information, and animal control. Community engagement programs include HI-PAL (youth activities league), Coffee with a Cop, Kupuna Watch (senior safety), and the Kuleana Hotline (prevention reporting). The department operates continuous recruitment for police officers, dispatchers, and civilian positions with competitive benefits. Drug enforcement is supported through the unified Vice Division with anonymous tip hotlines. The department provides transparency through crime mapping, booking logs, unsolved homicide reporting, and media releases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HI-PAL (Hawaii Island Police Activities League): A community policing initiative that provides youth activities and engagement programs including canoe regattas, basketball tournaments, keiki events, and educational programs.
• Kupuna Watch
• Crime Stoppers
• Vice Division

Products and services

• Police Services Core law enforcement services including 911 emergency response, non-emergency dispatch at (808) 935-3311, patrol operations, criminal investigations, and traffic enforcement for Hawaii Island residents, businesses, and visitors.
• Firearm Services Permitting and regulatory services for firearm ownership including applications, background checks, and compliance verification for Hawaii County residents.
• Fingerprinting Services and Criminal Abstracts LiveScan fingerprinting services and criminal abstract records for employment, licensing, or personal identification purposes.
• Police Reports Service for requesting and obtaining copies of police reports, with availability contingent on case closure, adjudication, or statute of limitations expiration.
• Domestic Violence Services Victim support services including Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) assistance, Injunction Against Harassment filings, crisis intervention, and referral to advocacy organizations.
• Inmate Information Jail booking information, inmate locater services, and visitation guidelines for the Hawaii County jail facility.
• Animal Control Services Animal control enforcement including loose dog response, dangerous animal complaints, and coordination with the Hawaii County Animal Control and Protection Agency.
• Hawaiʻi County Crime Map Interactive mapping tool displaying crime statistics and incident locations across Hawaii Island to promote community awareness and transparency.
• Email and Text Alerts (Nixle) Community notification system for receiving emergency alerts, community updates, and safety notifications via email and text message.
• Crime Stoppers Anonymous tip reporting program allowing citizens to report crimes and drug activity with potential rewards up to $1,000 for actionable information.
• Vice and Drug Tip Hotline 24-hour anonymous hotline for reporting illicit drug use, distribution, prostitution, gambling, and other vice-related crimes. West Hawaii: (808) 329-0423; East Hawaii: (808) 934-8423.
• Kuleana Hotline Prevention-focused hotline at (808) 961-2219 for reporting potential threats or concerning behavior before they escalate into crimes or tragedies.
• Unsolved Homicides Tip Submission Online portal and hotline for submitting anonymous tips regarding unsolved homicide cases, contactable at (808) 961-2380 or [email protected].
• HI-PAL (Hawaiʻi Island Police Activities League) Youth outreach program promoting positive relationships between police and youth through sports, activities, and mentorship including canoe regattas, basketball tournaments, and educational contests.
• Community Policing Programs Various engagement initiatives including Coffee with a Cop, Matcha with a Cop, Kupuna Watch (senior safety meetings), Talk Story with the Chief sessions, and neighborhood events.
• Crime Prevention and Safety Tips Educational resources covering fentanyl safety, internet safety, scam prevention, cyberbullying and sextortion awareness, and general crime prevention guidance for community members.
• K9 Unit Police canine program with specialized dogs for drug detection, search and rescue, tracking, and patrol support operations.
• Police Officer Recruitment Continuous recruitment program for police officer positions with starting salary of $76,008/year, accelerated 4-month academy cycles, and comprehensive benefits including $600/month auto allowance and retirement at age 55 with 30 years service.
• Police Communications Officers (Dispatchers) 911 and non-emergency call center positions handling emergency dispatch, call triage, and public safety communications.
• Booking Logs Publicly accessible daily arrest and booking records for transparency and community awareness.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Hawaii Police Relief AssociationminorOthersAffiliate organization that sells police shoulder patches for $5 each and challenge coins for $15 to law enforcement collectors. The department does not sell these items directly but directs collectors to this affiliate.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Hawaii Department of Public Safety: State-level public safety agency operating Hawaii's correctional facilities and statewide law enforcement support functions; comparable as a Hawaii public safety entity though focused on state-level rather than county-level municipal policing.

Others

• Hawaii County Fire Department: County-level emergency services agency operating in the same Hawaii County jurisdiction; comparable as a co-located emergency response organization sharing geography and dispatch infrastructure, though focused on fire rather than police.

Direct peers

• Honolulu Police Department: Municipal police department serving City and County of Honolulu on Oahu; directly comparable as a Hawaii-state county-level police force with similar statutory authority, community policing programs, dispatch/911 infrastructure, and Vice/narcotics operations.
• Kauai Police Department: County police department serving the island of Kauai; comparable as another Hawaii county-level police force with similar geographic isolation, service-area dynamics, and reliance on community engagement programs.
• Maui Police Department: County-level police department for Maui County; directly comparable in scale, jurisdictional scope, and community policing model as another Hawaii island-based law enforcement agency serving a similar geographically isolated population.

Broad incumbents

• San Francisco Police Department: Large municipal police department with similar community policing emphasis, crime mapping, and tip line infrastructure; comparable in functional services (patrol, investigations, Vice, dispatch) though at much larger urban scale.
• New York City Police Department: Major US municipal police department; comparable in providing patrol, criminal investigations, Vice/narcotics, community engagement, and emergency dispatch services, though at dramatically larger scale and urban density.
• Los Angeles Police Department: One of the largest municipal police departments in the US; comparable in offering comprehensive law enforcement services including Vice/narcotics units, community programs, and 911 dispatch, though at substantially greater scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Hawaii_Police

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hawaii Police Department