Giving Back

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Our Work in the Community

The Hawaiʻi Police Department is committed to giving back to the Hawaiʻi Island community through a variety of philanthropic endeavors. Officers regularly volunteer their time to organize and participate in fundraising events, supporting local and national charities. Their efforts have helped raise significant funds for causes, such as programs for youth with intellectual disabilities, health care initiatives, and support for families in need. This demonstrates the department’s dedication to making a positive impact both in and out of uniform, fostering a more inclusive and caring community.

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Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics

Since 1987, the Hawaiʻi Police Department has participated in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Hawaiʻi, which engages law enforcement personnel to champion the acceptance and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities. Over the past 37 years, the Law Enforcement Torch Run on Hawaiʻi Island has grown to encompass a variety of innovative fundraising efforts, including Badges and Buckets, Tip a Cop, and more.

Ongoing generous support from within the department and the Hawaiʻi Island community has enabled us to raise nearly $500,000 for our Special Olympics athletes here on the Big Island! Together, we are changing the future for people with intellectual disabilities and lighting the way for acceptance and inclusion.

For more info, read media releases from our September Badges and Buckets event in Hilo and Kona.

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Relay for Life

For more than three decades the Hawaiʻi Police Department has participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life on Hawaiʻi Island. Relay for Life brings people together to celebrate our cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against every cancer and for every life. Holding fundraisers throughout the year, our team walks every year with hope, a testament to our shared commitment and strength. Since 1993, Hawaiʻi Police Department has donated more than $90,000 to the American Cancer Society.

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Shop with a Cop / Heroes and Helpers

Every December for more than 30 years, Hawaiʻi Police Department has participated in Shop with a Cop, helping spread holiday cheer to island keiki. Shop With a Cop originated in Kona with Kmart, which partnered with the Hawaiʻi Police Department and Catholic Charities to provide at-risk and underprivileged youth an opportunity to buy gifts at Christmas. Officers volunteering to shop with the kids also have a chance to interact with them in a positive way. Each year, approximately 50 – 55 children participate in this event.

When the Kona Kmart closed, the event continued uninterrupted at Target, and in 2023, Walmart became the new store to host the event in Kona. Community Policing Officers are equally involved in the planning and execution of this very special event, while other local law enforcement agencies also join us for this very impactful and meaningful cause.

Shop With a Cop started in Hilo in 2016, also in collaboration with Catholic Charities and Hilo Target. Rebranded as Heroes and Helpers, the Hilo event includes volunteers from other first responder and law enforcement agencies to brighten the holidays for dozens of east Hawaiʻi keiki in need.

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Fill a Cruiser

The Fill a Cruiser Food Drive is an annual event hosted by the Hawaiʻi Police Department’s Kona Community Policing Section, in collaboration with local partners such as Kona Costco and the Food Basket, and KAPA Radio’s Tommy Ching. Held each year at the Kona Costco parking lot during Labor Day weekend, this community initiative encourages residents to donate nonperishable food items, which are then distributed to those in need across Hawaiʻi Island. The event provides a simple, yet impactful, way for the public to support their community, with donations staying local to benefit Hawaiʻi Island families.

Since its inception in 2020, the Fill a Cruiser Food Drive has collected an impressive 11,301 pounds of food and $18,958 in monetary donations. In 2023, nearly $5,000 was raised for those affected by the wildfires on Maui. The event continues to grow in its impact, helping to address the ongoing need for food assistance on the island.

For more info, read media releases from our August 30, 2024 event in Kona.