Bill > HR78

This Resolution urges the City and County of Honolulu to create a new police district in Leeward Oahu to better serve its rapidly growing communities. The resolution highlights that Leeward Oahu, encompassing areas like Waipahu, Ewa, and Nanakuli, has seen significant population increases and attracts many visitors, leading to a strain on existing police resources, specifically Honolulu Police Department (HPD) District 8. The HPD, responsible for the entire island of Oahu with its nearly one million residents and military personnel, currently operates with eight patrol districts and twenty-nine divisions, with existing district stations in Kalihi, Kaneohe, Kapolei, Pearl City, and Wahiawa. The resolution points to increased criminal activity, including thefts and burglaries, as well as a rise in incidents involving the homeless population in Leeward Oahu, as evidence of the need for improved law enforcement response and a greater police presence, necessitating an additional police station to provide adequate services to these expanding communities.