OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Hawaii County Council Budget Hearings for Public Safety Agencies - April 15, 2026

County Council & Committees — Wednesday, April 15, 2026
BodyHawaii County, Hawaii
SessionCounty Council & Committees
DateWednesday, April 15, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 6:17:10
Transcript — Verbatim
0:02

Chief, when you're ready, you have a PowerPoint presentation to run through.

0:06

Please introduce yourselves.

0:07

Remember to turn on your green button on your mic.

0:10

So it goes red.

0:13

Yep, there we go.

0:14

And then I'll introduce your team behind you if you need to.

0:17

And run through your PowerPoint, and then we'll go to questions from the council.

0:21

All right.

0:22

Thank you guys very much.

0:23

We're happy to be here.

0:24

I'm Reed Mahun, I'm the police chief.

0:26

Next to me is my deputy chief Sherry Bird and Hawaii Iona, who's in charge of our finance section is here as well.

0:38

Fiscal year 2025 program measure outcomes.

0:42

We filled at least 85% sworn and 74% of our civilian position.

0:46

Department personnel received 60,005 hours of training.

0:52

We processed 3,843 firearms permits within uh within two weeks or a 98%.

1:00

We cleared 1,734 auto theft cases, 40%, and conducted 792 hard drug investigations.

1:09

Our objectives for fiscal year 2027 is to upgrade computer equipment and software to comply with federal and state requirements, create a recruitment team to counteract staffing shortages, reduce high overtime and improve services, increase community engagement through events like talk stories and coffee with a cop, research and identify locations for a permanent cold storage facility, and increase efforts to actively research and apply.

1:44

Federal and state grants.

1:55

We transitioned to a new emergency call center, the new 17,000 127 square foot facilities on Mohouli Street and operates a unified call center, housing and dispatch for police and fire departments.

2:20

We have a new uh voice over internet protocol uh phone system uh for the Kona and Kao police stations.

2:28

Uh new uh HPD public safety counselor.

2:31

Um again, uh this is a this is a first ever for our department, and uh the feedback that we have so far is tremendous uh the work that um she is doing.

2:42

Essentially, you know, she's a counselor that our personnel and their families can avail themselves of.

2:49

Uh we don't know who's going or what's happening.

2:53

It's completely out of our uh our supervision, other than to know that she is you know seeing people.

3:02

Uh and um, you know, it takes time for somebody like that to you know gain the trust of uh first responders, but um so far uh we've had um very positive feedback, and I think it's a important step uh for officer wellness.

3:16

It's also available for fire department personnel as well.

3:21

Uh we received 18 uh new Ford expeditions and three new uh F-150 pickup trucks.

3:29

Um again, very important for us uh because we have vehicles that are well past their end of life that we continue to um support because there's really no other alternative.

3:40

Uh the last time that vehicles are purchased, I believe, was in 2020 or 2017.

3:46

Uh so we have vehicles that are 2008, 2009 vehicles that we are in the process of phasing out.

3:56

We also have our new VersaTerm uh community connect.

4:00

So this particular um this particular um software system, what it does is when what we constantly get is we constantly get calls from people that hey, we call the police, are the police coming?

4:12

And if the police do come, you know, what is our what do we reference here?

4:16

What is our report number?

4:17

What is our uh you know, what is the status of this case?

4:20

Well, in this particular this particular program, what it allows us to do is that when somebody calls the police, they're able to get a text message that lets them know the police are on the way, and this is the number that they can reference.

4:32

And as their cases move throughout the system, whether it be to the prosecutor's office or to the to uh our CID or detectives, they're made aware of where it's going and who the new contact person is for their case.

4:45

Um so far we've had a lot of positive feedback regarding it.

4:48

Uh and you know, of course, there's some some cases that you know we don't send the text messages, sensitive cases, cases involving, you know, um, where we think that the victim uh somebody other than the victim may have access to that cell cell phone, but for the most part, yeah, we've had very positive feedback.

5:06

Our department, we have 664 position uh positions.

5:11

Uh we have 70 sworn vacancies, uh which is roughly about 15 percent, 35 uh civilian vacancies.

5:19

Um, we have four main bureaus, and of course, challenges that we face are recruiting and staffing.

5:26

Um we have uh a different different plans moving forward with a recruitment section that is dedicated to recruiting uh people uh to fill our vacancies, and those are things that we're moving forward with uh in the department.

5:41

But again, um I think vacancies, especially in the sworn positions, is gonna be a challenge for police chief, police chiefs and executives, you know, in the foreseeable future.

5:53

Uh we just we just need to never take our eye off of the off of the ball there and and don't get complacent uh because we need to we need to focus on that no matter what our fiscal 27 uh budget overview uh about 74 million dollars or roughly 75 percent or salaries and wages um changes into our OCE, their status quo, uh changes in equipment budget.

6:22

Uh we're we are increase of 350,000 to purchase 75 mobile data terminals.

6:27

So these are uh the computers that officers have that they can put in their cars and that they can take out at the in the station and that they use to complete their reports and do checks.

6:37

Um basically we're in a situation where we have to we have to move them out basically annually, certain numbers of them have to get moved out annually because they're at their end of life.

6:47

Uh we also have us uh uh 70.

6:51

There's also another um there's also a transfer of 75 uh thousand to our repair budget, and we also have a um a camera system that we are uh installing in our cell block that we that that is budgeted.

7:06

Uh that is not a uh surveillance system, we have that, but this is a uh video recording system to record um uh uh interviews with suspects.

7:16

It's it's mandated by a uh Hawaii state uh supreme court ruling, and we're getting that uh getting our equipment in to be come in compliance with that.

7:24

Uh we have uh roughly uh four million in federal and state grants individually.

7:33

New priorities and initiatives for fiscal year 2027, of course, protect life and property, serve the community.

7:39

We're gonna form a recruitment section team to fill vacancies and counteract staffing shortages, reduce high overtime costs, and improve service to the community.

7:48

Uh, we intend to inform uh to form a cybercrime unit to investigate, disrupt, and prosecute illegal activities committed using technology.

7:55

You know, as I've said before, this is an extremely important thing because cyber crimes usually um target our most vulnerable population.

8:04

Uh children become exploit, usually it's uh exploitation, um, and for our Kupuna, it's it's theft, it's money.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety█████████████████████████████████████37%
Animal Welfare████████████████16%
Technology and Innovation█████████9%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████7%
Personnel Matters█████5%
Mental Health Awareness████4%
Youth Programs████4%
Procedural███3%
Cannabis Regulation███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Hawaii County Council Budget Hearings for Public Safety Agencies - April 15, 2026

On April 15, 2026, the Hawaii County Council held budget hearings for multiple public safety and government support departments. The hearings covered the Hawaii Police Department (HPD), the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney (OPA), the Animal Control and Protection Agency (ACPA), the Hawaii Fire Department (HFD), the Department of Information Technology (DIT), the Office of Corporation Counsel (OCC), and the Department of Liquor Control. Discussions focused on departmental budgets for Fiscal Year 2027, staffing challenges, new initiatives, and public safety concerns including mental health response, dangerous dogs, and communication infrastructure.

Hawaii Police Department (HPD)

  • Chief Reed Mahuna and Deputy Chief Sherry Bird presented the HPD budget. The department has 664 positions with 70 sworn vacancies (15%) and 35 civilian vacancies.
  • The proposed FY27 operating budget is approximately $74 million, with 75% allocated to salaries and wages.
  • Key initiatives include forming a dedicated recruitment section, reducing high overtime costs, creating a cybercrime unit, and maintaining accreditation through CALEA.
  • Council members discussed officer wellness (a new public safety counselor), staffing challenges, community policing in downtown areas, and the need for a substation in the Kāʻū district. The chief reported that vehicles as old as 2008 are being replaced after no purchases since 2017-2020.
  • The council questioned overtime budget projections, noting that a substantial drop in estimated overtime may be unrealistic given anticipated retirements.

Office of the Prosecuting Attorney (OPA)

  • Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen presented OPA's budget of just over $16 million, with $3 million in grant funds. The office has 135 positions with 16 vacancies.
  • In FY25, OPA accepted nearly 20,000 of approximately 27,000 charges for prosecution; 3,100 charges were filed in circuit court and nearly 16,000 in district court.
  • Highlights included successful prosecutions (e.g., a 25-year sentence for manslaughter/arson), the launch of a Women's Court on Hawaii Island, and a pilot project for out-of-state attorney licensing.
  • The prosecutor emphasized the severe overcrowding at Hawaii Community Correctional Center (HCC) and the need for a new correctional facility on the west side of the island. He stated that 90-92% of HCC inmates are held on felony-level offenses.
  • Council members discussed officer wellness, mental health support, and the need for state-level mental health facilities. The council expressed interest in collaboration on legislation and youth programs.

Animal Control and Protection Agency (ACPA)

  • Interim Administrator Sharice Emmons presented ACPA's status quo budget of about $4.4 million. The agency has 16 vacancies across four divisions.
  • In FY25, ACPA responded to 90% of vicious dog calls within two hours, 96% of police assistance requests within three hours, and 91% of cruelty/neglect cases within 24 hours. Over 500 animals received spay/neuter services.
  • The agency reported two primary hotspot areas for dangerous dogs: Ocean View Estates (Kaʻū) and Pāhoa. Enforcement is limited by staffing (only 11 field officers islandwide) and legal authority.
  • Council members questioned ACPA's ability to impound dangerous animals, compliance checks (currently unannounced, about once a month), and the lack of laws requiring containment on owner property. ACPA cannot arrest or execute search warrants, relying on HPD.
  • The council noted that ACPA's 30% vacancy rate severely impacts its ability to respond to stray and dangerous dogs. ACPA stated that facility improvements (especially to the Orchidland shelter, which floods) and additional staffing are critical.

Hawaii Fire Department (HFD)

  • Temporary Fire Chief Dan Volpe presented HFD's FY27 budget of $87.5 million. HFD has 630 positions with 75 vacancies.
  • Major highlights included the launch of Medic 21 at Makalei, promotion of 57 personnel, and the promotion of the first Battalion Chief of Ocean Safety. New apparatus included four ambulances, three brush trucks, and two helicopter fuel trucks.
  • HFD is seeking $1 million for portable radio replacement; that amount covers about one-third of the total need. Additional funding is being pursued through federal and state grants.
  • The department discussed co-locating with HPD on a new Kāʻū Police and Fire Station, which is in early planning stages. A new Central Fire Station in Hilo is also being considered.
  • Council members raised concerns about water supply for new subdivisions, volunteer firefighter support (including a need for dedicated vehicles), and the maintenance of aging fire stations.

Department of Information Technology (DIT)

  • Director Corey Stone presented DIT's budget. The department has 40 positions, with most vacancies in user support and systems support (including cybersecurity).
  • DIT has migrated over 2,000 mailboxes to the cloud, upgraded low-speed connectivity locations, and deployed over 148 computers countywide. The department resolved 8,400 tickets in the current fiscal period.
  • Council members discussed cybersecurity, the need for a centralized approach to data management (including possible appointment of a chief data officer), and the ongoing challenge of supporting multiple county websites. DIT has an RFP out for a unified website platform.
  • The council also discussed the need for better cell reception at the West Hawaii Civic Center, and a pilot procurement is underway.

Office of Corporation Counsel (OCC)

  • Corporation Counsel Michelle S. N. presented OCC's budget of $6.09 million. OCC has 35 positions with 8 vacancies.
  • In FY25, OCC provided 2,640 requests for legal representation and completed 5,790 requests for legal services (averaging 640 per attorney). OCC also resolved 34 lawsuits, reviewed over 3,100 documents/contracts, and attended nearly 1,800 hearings.
  • Council members discussed the office's role in risk management, its relationship with council members, and recruitment of young attorneys. OCC noted that all four counties are invited to an annual statewide municipal lawyers conference.

Department of Liquor Control (DLC)

  • Director Stacey Walden presented DLC's budget of about $2.6 million. DLC has 20 positions with 2 vacancies.
  • In FY25, DLC processed 39 liquor license applications, visited 45 license applicants, trained 1,174 industry workers through 81 classes, and conducted 1,884 inspections per month.
  • Highlights included absorbing online service fees for license renewals and issuing 21 new liquor licenses. DLC has distributed $49,000 of its $86,000 Project Grad fund for alcohol-free youth events, with two more schools expected.
  • Council members discussed plans to accept credit card payments in person or by phone (eliminating the current service fee for online payments) and ongoing work on Ordinance 2568 regarding Narcan requirements in licensed establishments.

Key Outcomes

  • HPD's overtime budget was noted as potentially insufficient; the council suggested reviewing estimates to avoid mid-year shortfalls.
  • The council expressed support for a new Kāʻū Police and Fire Station and a new correctional facility on the west side of Hawaii Island.
  • Multiple departments (HPD, OPA, ACPA) committed to increased collaboration on dangerous dog enforcement and policy improvements, with a meeting to be convened by Councilmember Kirkowitz.
  • DIT will continue to explore consolidating county websites, improving cell reception at the West Hawaii Civic Center, and developing AI guidance.
  • The council commended OPA, HFD, and DLC for their community engagement and proactive programs.

Meeting Transcript

Chief, when you're ready, you have a PowerPoint presentation to run through. Please introduce yourselves. Remember to turn on your green button on your mic. So it goes red. Yep, there we go. And then I'll introduce your team behind you if you need to. And run through your PowerPoint, and then we'll go to questions from the council. All right. Thank you guys very much. We're happy to be here. I'm Reed Mahun, I'm the police chief. Next to me is my deputy chief Sherry Bird and Hawaii Iona, who's in charge of our finance section is here as well. Fiscal year 2025 program measure outcomes. We filled at least 85% sworn and 74% of our civilian position. Department personnel received 60,005 hours of training. We processed 3,843 firearms permits within uh within two weeks or a 98%. We cleared 1,734 auto theft cases, 40%, and conducted 792 hard drug investigations. Our objectives for fiscal year 2027 is to upgrade computer equipment and software to comply with federal and state requirements, create a recruitment team to counteract staffing shortages, reduce high overtime and improve services, increase community engagement through events like talk stories and coffee with a cop, research and identify locations for a permanent cold storage facility, and increase efforts to actively research and apply. Federal and state grants. We transitioned to a new emergency call center, the new 17,000 127 square foot facilities on Mohouli Street and operates a unified call center, housing and dispatch for police and fire departments. We have a new uh voice over internet protocol uh phone system uh for the Kona and Kao police stations. Uh new uh HPD public safety counselor. Um again, uh this is a this is a first ever for our department, and uh the feedback that we have so far is tremendous uh the work that um she is doing. Essentially, you know, she's a counselor that our personnel and their families can avail themselves of. Uh we don't know who's going or what's happening. It's completely out of our uh our supervision, other than to know that she is you know seeing people. Uh and um, you know, it takes time for somebody like that to you know gain the trust of uh first responders, but um so far uh we've had um very positive feedback, and I think it's a important step uh for officer wellness. It's also available for fire department personnel as well. Uh we received 18 uh new Ford expeditions and three new uh F-150 pickup trucks. Um again, very important for us uh because we have vehicles that are well past their end of life that we continue to um support because there's really no other alternative. Uh the last time that vehicles are purchased, I believe, was in 2020 or 2017. Uh so we have vehicles that are 2008, 2009 vehicles that we are in the process of phasing out. We also have our new VersaTerm uh community connect. So this particular um this particular um software system, what it does is when what we constantly get is we constantly get calls from people that hey, we call the police, are the police coming? And if the police do come, you know, what is our what do we reference here? What is our report number? What is our uh you know, what is the status of this case? Well, in this particular this particular program, what it allows us to do is that when somebody calls the police, they're able to get a text message that lets them know the police are on the way, and this is the number that they can reference. And as their cases move throughout the system, whether it be to the prosecutor's office or to the to uh our CID or detectives, they're made aware of where it's going and who the new contact person is for their case. Um so far we've had a lot of positive feedback regarding it. Uh and you know, of course, there's some some cases that you know we don't send the text messages, sensitive cases, cases involving, you know, um, where we think that the victim uh somebody other than the victim may have access to that cell cell phone, but for the most part, yeah, we've had very positive feedback. Our department, we have 664 position uh positions. Uh we have 70 sworn vacancies, uh which is roughly about 15 percent, 35 uh civilian vacancies. Um, we have four main bureaus, and of course, challenges that we face are recruiting and staffing. Um we have uh a different different plans moving forward with a recruitment section that is dedicated to recruiting uh people uh to fill our vacancies, and those are things that we're moving forward with uh in the department. But again, um I think vacancies, especially in the sworn positions, is gonna be a challenge for police chief, police chiefs and executives, you know, in the foreseeable future. Uh we just we just need to never take our eye off of the off of the ball there and and don't get complacent uh because we need to we need to focus on that no matter what our fiscal 27 uh budget overview uh about 74 million dollars or roughly 75 percent or salaries and wages um changes into our OCE, their status quo, uh changes in equipment budget. Uh we're we are increase of 350,000 to purchase 75 mobile data terminals. So these are uh the computers that officers have that they can put in their cars and that they can take out at the in the station and that they use to complete their reports and do checks. Um basically we're in a situation where we have to we have to move them out basically annually, certain numbers of them have to get moved out annually because they're at their end of life.

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