THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	452
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to police.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the Honolulu police department is suffering from a staffing shortage. As of May 2022, the Honolulu police department had 1,828 sworn officers and three hundred forty-nine vacancies. Short staffing results in some police beats going under-manned, with just seventy-seven per cent staffing during certain shifts in Honolulu police department district 1, which includes downtown Honolulu, Chinatown, and Kakaako. Staffing shortages also limit the time officers have to work with the community, preventing officers from building deep relationships with the community and business owners.

The legislature further finds that the Honolulu police department is highly selective in its recruiting efforts to ensure that only the best, most qualified candidates become police officers that serve and protect local communities. In the past two years, just over five per cent of the thousands of applicants who signed up to take the police entrance exam became police recruits. Expanding the overall pool of quality applicants by creating a pilot program to engage with young adults at high schools will support the effort of the Honolulu police department to select qualified police recruits meeting the department's high standards.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a junior police pilot program at Farrington high school in coordination with the Honolulu police department with the goal of connecting young adults to the workforce and addressing police officer shortages.

SECTION 2. The department of education, in collaboration with the Honolulu police department, shall establish and operate a junior police pilot program at Farrington high school, with the intended purpose of connecting young adults to the workforce by developing qualified police department recruits, thereby addressing police officer shortages.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for administration of the junior police pilot program pursuant to this Act.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2023.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Junior Police Pilot Program; Farrington High School; Department of Education; Honolulu Police Department; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes a junior police pilot program at Farrington High School in coordination with the Honolulu Police Department. Appropriates funds.

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