§353C-2  Director of law enforcement; powers and duties.  The director of law enforcement shall administer the public safety programs of the department and shall be responsible for the formulation and implementation of state goals and objectives for state law enforcement programs and homeland security, including the deployment of adequate resources and coordination with county police departments to protect the health and safety of homestead communities on Hawaiian home lands.  In the administration of these programs, the director may:

     (1)  Preserve the public peace, prevent crime, detect and arrest offenders against the law, protect the rights of persons and property, and enforce and prevent violation of all laws and administrative rules of the State as the director deems to be necessary or desirable or upon request, to assist other state officers or agencies that have primary administrative responsibility over specific subject matters or programs;

     (2)  Train, equip, maintain, and supervise the force of law enforcement officers and other employees of the department;

     (3)  Serve process both in civil and criminal proceedings;

     (4)  Perform other duties as may be required by law;

     (5)  Adopt, pursuant to chapter 91, rules that are necessary or desirable for the administration of state law enforcement programs; and

     (6)  Enter into contracts on behalf of the department and take all actions deemed necessary and appropriate for the proper and efficient administration of the department. [L 1989, c 211, pt of §6; am L 1991, c 151, §3; am L 2007, c 144, §4; am L 2022, c 278, §11]

Revision Note

  L 2007, c 144, §4 was codified to this section pursuant to §23G-15.

Attorney General Opinions

  Full-time investigators of the department of public safety's narcotics enforcement division qualify as law enforcement officers for purposes of excluding personal use value of state vehicle from investigator's gross income.  Att. Gen. Op. 91-3.