Police Officers

As part of our recruitment efforts to make it easier for individuals to serve as police officers, the Hawaiʻi Police Department (HPD) now offers continuous recruitment and has increased the number of recruit class academies, starting a new recruit class roughly every four months. Previously, those interested in becoming a police officer could only apply twice a year during a ten-day application window.

HPD also offers new recruits the opportunity to join the department early through a pilot program with the County. Once potential new officers have completed the background check, polygraph, psychological, and medical aspects of the process and are ready to be hired, HPD will be extending job offers, with recruits officially starting their one-year probation when they start the academy.

By using this early-hire model, we hope to get people acclimated to the department’s culture, help them to find a mentor in the department, and get them physically working out with the existing recruit classes. Then, their one-year probation period will begin when the recruit class starts.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

A combination of education and experience substantially equivalent to:

Graduation from high school or equivalent (GED or HiSET); and
20 years of age by the closing deadline, (at least 21 years of age by the time of graduation from the Police Academy); and
Possession of a valid State of Hawaiʻi Driver’s License (Class 3) or any other valid comparable driver’s license by the closing deadline. (You will be required to submit your driver’s license during the personal history questionnaire phase with the HPD); and
Must be qualified to carry and/or possess firearm or ammunition in accordance with state and federal laws – no misdemeanor or felony domestic violence conviction.
Meet the health and physical condition standards deemed necessary and proper to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations, such as have a correct ratio of weight to height; possess good eyesight and good physical condition and agility according to standards set by the County of Hawaiʻi.

Written Exam

A two hour multiple-choice examination will be administered in Hilo, Hawaiʻi only.
Test dates/times will be determined based on the number of qualified applicants.
Qualifying applicants will be allowed to self-schedule for various sessions later in the process.

Physical Agility Test

Involves running an obstacle course in 70.00 seconds or less.
Only one run of the course is allowed.
This is a pass/fail test.
Those who pass the physical agility test will be processed for further screening by HPD.
Those who fail the agility test will be allowed one more attempt to pass the agility test within the next three months, date and time to be announced.

Agility Test Overview

Ability to

Learn and explain laws, ordinances, and regulations; learn police principles, practices, methods, and techniques; follow oral and written instructions; deal courteously but firmly with the general public; learn the geography of the County of Hawaiʻi and the economic, social, and racial composition of the community; keep records and prepare simple reports; operate various office and other equipment and appliances.

Knowledge of

Grammar, spelling, and word usage.

Physical and Age Standards

Persons seeking appointment to positions in this class must meet the health and physical condition standards deemed necessary and proper to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations. All candidates for employment as a Police Officer I shall be at least 20 years of age at the time of filing, and at least 21 years of age by the time of graduation from the Police Academy; have a correct ratio of weight to height; possess good eyesight and good physical condition and agility according to standards set by the County of Hawaiʻi.

Vision Standards

Distant Vision – 20/20 binocular vision, with or without correction. Vision correction by soft contact lenses: Soft contact lens wearers must have 20/200 or better binocular vision before correction, corrected to 20/20. If selected, applicants must provide certification to the County Physician from an ophthalmologist/optometrist that he/she has successfully worn soft contact lenses for the past 3 months. Vision correction by other than soft contact lenses (e.g., glasses, hard contact lenses, semi-rigid contact lenses): Wearers must have 20/40 or better binocular vision before correction, corrected to 20/20.

Physical Effort Grouping: Special

Salary and Benefits

The starting salary for Police Officer I is $76,008 per year. Officers receive night differential pay and time and a half for holiday work and overtime. Fringe benefits include:

Fringe Benefit	Amount
Automobile allowance	$600 per month
Standard of Conduct Differential	$624 per month
Firearm Allowance	$1,000 per fiscal year
Uniform Allowance	$300 per fiscal year
Vacation	21 days per year
Sick Leave	21 days per year
Holidays	13 days per year + general election day in an election year
Medical, Vision, Prescription Drug, & Dental Plans	Included
Group Life Insurance	Included
Night Differential (6am-6pm)	$0.55 per hour for each hour of actual work performed
Membership Benefits	Membership in the County Credit Union
State of Hawaiʻi Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO) union, the Flexible Spending Plan, and the State of Hawaiʻi Deferred Compensation Plan.	Included
Retirement	Eligible to retire at age 55 with 30 years of police service in Hawaiʻi

Selection Process

The Department of Human Resources will refer names of applicants who pass the Police Officer I written examination to the HPD. The HPD in turn will administer the following as part of their selection process in filling Police Officer I (Police Recruit) positions.

These nine steps will take approximately 3-6 months in duration to complete.

Physical Agility Test

All applicants who pass the written examination will proceed to the physical agility test. The physical agility test is held in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, about every six weeks.

The physical agility test involves running an obstacle course in 70.00 seconds or less.
Only one run of the course is allowed.
This is a pass/fail test.
Those who pass the physical agility test will be processed for further screening by the HPD.
Those who fail the agility test will be allowed one more attempt to pass the agility test within the next three months, date and time to be announced.

Agility Test Overview

The personal history questionnaire asks for information about previous employment, formal education, military history, substance abuse, driving history, domestic violence, and criminal record. Applicants will be required to submit designated documents to the HPD to confirm certain information provided on the personal history questionnaire.

A review of the personal history questionnaire is conducted with each applicant for clarification and explanation of serious and critical admissions. This is done to determine the suitability of the applicant according to the HPD’s employment guidelines for a Police Officer I position. Applicants who do not meet the guidelines will be notified and their consideration for employment will end at this point.

For applicants who meet the employment guidelines, the HPD will verify information obtained from the personal history questionnaire through an intensive background investigation.

Applicants whose completed background investigation conforms to the employment guidelines may be given a conditional offer of employment and are processed for phases 6 – 9 (not necessarily in this order).

Polygraph examination administered by a licensed polygrapher.

Applicants to complete a written psychological test.

Applicants to complete a personal assessment by a psychologist.

Formal panel interview with staff of the Hawaiʻi Police Department.

Applicants who pass all nine phases and are selected to continue to the final phases of the selection process must pass a pre-entry medical examination with the County Physician and a drug screening test before being hired. A credit check history check will also be conducted and considered before being hired. The HPD will determine the date of hire of applicants selected.

Academy Training

During the first week of training, applicants should be prepared to perform bursts of push-ups and sit-ups throughout each day. During the academic phase of the Police Recruit training, Recruit Officers undergo various physical activities to show their overall physical ability to handle the rigorous demands of the job. Recruits also participate in other physical activities which help to build strength and endurance that is used in many of the use of force classes. Examples of exercises that test the muscular endurance, body strength and aerobic power of the recruits:

300 meter run
hand release push-ups
sit-ups
pull-ups
shuttle runs

Academic and Physical Standards

During the classroom training period, the following academic and physical standards will apply:

Pass weekly examinations in classroom on all subjects presented.
Note-taking and report writing in a designated format will be required during all phases of instruction.
Successful completion of a proficiency examination in the Police Combat Pistol Course.
Successful completion of a proficiency examination with the standard police shotgun.
Pass a physical fitness assessment program by completion of the classroom training.

Successful completion of Arrest Control Techniques Training, Wooden Baton Training, Electronic Control Device Training, ASP Baton Training, and Pepper Spray Training.
Pass personal appearance and grooming, as noted in the HPD General Orders, with inspections conducted daily, as determined by the recruit supervisors.
Other requirements, as specified by the HPD.

Police recruits will then work under the supervision of rotating Field Training Officers for four months in an assigned district. Upon successfully completing the Field Training Officer program, the police recruits will be assigned to work independently in a district. The initial probationary period for a Police Officer I (police recruit) is 12 months.

Disqualifications

These employment guidelines are used by the Hawaiʻi Police Department to determine whether an applicant is suitable for a Police Officer I position. Applicants will be disqualified if any one of the following criteria exists.

General Disqualifications

The following items will automatically disqualify an applicant from our employment process.

Offense	Conviction	Eligibility
Any Felony Offense	Indictment/Conviction	Lifetime ineligibility
Any Misdemeanor/Petty Misdemeanor Crime of Violence that involves injury or threat of injury to the person of another; such as Assault/Abuse Family Household Member/Terror Threat, Etc	Indictment/Conviction	Lifetime ineligibility
Murder	Arrest/Suspect	Lifetime ineligibility
Any Felony Offense or Crime of Violence	Arrest/Suspect/Admission	Within last 5 years
Any Other Misdemeanor/Petty Misdemeanors Offenses	Conviction/Arrest/Suspect/Admission	Within last 3 years
Contempt of Court	Conviction/Arrest	Within last 3 years

Offense	Conviction	Eligibility
Sale/Trade/Distribution any Controlled Substance delineated under Schedule I-IV of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes as amended	Indictment/Conviction	Lifetime ineligibility
Use of any Controlled Substance delineated under Schedule I-IV of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes as amended, while employed in a sworn law enforcement or prosecutorial position or in a position of high public trust	Conviction/Arrest/Suspect/Admission	Lifetime ineligibility
Use of any Controlled Substance delineated under Schedule I-IV (with the exception of marijuana) of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes as amended	Suspect or Admission	Ineligible if within the last 5 years.
Use of any marijuana	Suspect or Admission	Ineligible if within the last 2 years.

Offense	Conviction	Eligibility
Two (2) or More DUI Offenses: Within last 10 years (Unsuitable)	Conviction	Lifetime ineligibility
Single DUI Offense	Conviction	Ineligible if within the last 5 years.
Reckless Driving Offense	Conviction	Ineligible if within the last 5 years.
Operation of Motor Vehicle while License revoked or suspended	Conviction	Ineligible if within the last 5 years.

Undesirable Traits

Applicants may be disqualified if any one of the following criteria exists and based on the totality of circumstances.

Offense	Conviction	Eligibility
Any Felony Offense or Crime of Violence	Arrest/Suspect/Admission	Ineligible if within the last 5 years.
Any Other Misdemeanor/Petty Misdemeanors Offenses	Conviction/Arrest/Suspect/Admission	Ineligible if within the last 3 years.
Contempt of Court: Within last 3 years	Conviction/Arrest	Ineligible if within the last 3 years.

Offense	Conviction	Eligibility
Any Illegal Drug related offenses	Conviction	Lifetime ineligibility
Sale/Trade/Distribution any Controlled Substance delineated under Schedule I-IV of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes as amended	Suspect/Admission	Lifetime ineligibility
Excessive use/experimentation of any/or combination of any Controlled Substance delineated under Schedule I-IV of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes as amended	Suspect or Admission	Lifetime ineligibility

Offense	Conviction	Eligibility
Reckless Driving: Within last 3 years	Arrest	Lifetime ineligibility
DUI or Traffic Offense	Arrest	Ineligible if within the last 3 years.
Three (3) of more moving violations, i.e. speeding, etc	Citations	Ineligible if within the last 3 years.
Excessive parking violations, i.e. speeding, etc	Citations	Ineligible if within the last 3 years.

Offense	Conviction	Eligibility
Demonstrating poor judgment, irresponsibility, lack of decision-making capabilities, and lack of self-discipline	Totality of Circumstances	Ineligible if within the last 5 years.

Employment guidelines may be revised at the discretion of the Hawaiʻi Police Department, Revised 7-1-08.

Testimonial

Hawaiʻi Island is home to a calabash of cultures and traditions. So it’s not surprising that the people who join Hawaiʻi Police Department come from a wide range of backgrounds with a common thread of wanting to be of service and helping others. A fifth-generation rancher, Lieutenant Scotty Lewis talks story about police work and operating Lewis Cattle and what it takes to be a good police officer.

How to Apply

Think you have what it takes? If so, please apply today.

See Police Officer Job Listing

Unsolved Homicides

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Please take a moment to review the Unsolved Homicides summaries and if you have any information pertaining to any of these cases, please submit a tip, email us or call our Unsolved Homicides Division at (808) 961-2380 or Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300. Thank you for your help!

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