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The way things are going, Hawaii’s newish may well have to resort to crowdfunding to do its important work.

We say this half in jest, as a state agency should not have to ask strangers for money.

But the Law Enforcement Standards Board really does need the kala. It was created by the Legislature in 2018 to establish basic training, curriculum and certification standards for law enforcement personnel in all four counties. Hawaii is the last state to have such a standards board.

The board was appropriated a little seed money ($100,000) in fiscal year 2019. But that’s not much for such an important panel tasked with elevating the level of conduct for police and other enforcers. If you need a refresher in why that’s important, read our investigative special report on the legal and public policy debates over police misconduct, “In The Name Of The Law.”

The 15-member Law Enforcement Standards Board has asked lawmakers several times now for more support, and just last week approved proposed legislation for the upcoming session that would also give it the cash it desperately needs to get going on doing what lawmakers told it to do.

The board wants $483,000 to hire an executive director, a clerical position and a contract researcher; to cover administration, travel and operating costs of the board; and to provide office space for the new positions.

If it doesn’t get the money, the Law Enforcement Standards Board — whose members serve voluntarily — will likely not be able to finalize its standards by December 2021. That goal was originally supposed to be met by July 2019 but has been getting pushed back because there is no one to do the work.

Contact Key Lawmakers

President Ron Kouchi
senkouchi@capitol.hawaii.gov
808-586-6030

Speaker Scott Saiki
repsaiki@capitol.hawaii.gov
808-586-6100

The state budget has been severely crimped by the health and economic crises stemming from the pandemic. And it’s also true that calling for the establishment of the standards board faced notable opposition, including a veto threat from Gov. David Ige.

But the bill passed unanimously, and language — “that the consequences of a lack of statewide oversight of police are a matter of serious public concern” — rings all too true.

The bill, now Act 220, outlined recent incidents that highlighted the need for greater oversight. The bill states:

Besides crafting uniform standards for all county and state police agencies — including the state sheriffs and Department of Land and Natural Resources officers — the board is required to put in place a process that would allow decertification of police officers like those listed above.

Getting rid of bad cops has been tough for local agencies that face extreme pressure from the statewide police union, the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers. The new standards board was in part envisioned to help police administrators stand up to union tactics.

Still, even the board has expressed some anxiety over setting up a certification process that will withstand what will surely be a full-court press by SHOPO. The Legislature is not making it any easier by refusing to pay for the professional staff needed to craft this new program.

The events of this past year nationwide have demonstrated the need for much better oversight of police agencies. The Law Enforcement Standards Board was long overdue in Hawaii.

Now, lawmakers need to finish the job.