MEDIA RELEASE

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA ®) will arrive on Hawaiʻi Island on July 13 to examine the Hawaiʻi Police Department’s policies and procedures, administration, operations and support services.

The purpose is to verify that the Hawaiʻi Police Department continues to meet the 400-plus National Standards established for a law enforcement agency that are required for the department to maintain voluntary accreditation.

Part of this review will include a public comment session at 5 p.m. on July 14 at the Hawaiʻi County Council chambers at 25 Aupuni Street in Hilo. The session will be hosted by the visiting assessment team, which is seeking the community’s input as to whether accreditation should be maintained.

Chief Kubojiri encourages public comments. “As I’ve always maintained, this is not my police department, this is your police department,” Kubojiri said. “The process of being accredited ensures the public that their police department follows and maintains nationally recognized standards established for a law enforcement agency.”

Individuals who cannot attend the public information session are encouraged to phone in their comments to (808) 961-2270 on July 14 between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Written comments may be sent to CALEA®, 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia, 22030-2215 or through the CALEA® website at www.calea.org.

The comments are limited to the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA’s standards.

A link to the list of the CALEA® Standards the assessors will be reviewing to determine if the Hawaiʻi Police Department is in compliance is available on the “Accreditation” page of the Hawaiʻi Police Department’s website at www.hawaiipolice.com. A full copy of the Standards may be viewed at the Police Department’s main station at 349 Kapiʻolani Street in Hilo. These National Standards, as they relate to the practices employed by the Hawaiʻi Police Department, are what the assessors are seeking the public’s input on during public testimony.

Of the roughly 23,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States, the Hawaii Police Department is one of only about 1,200 that have been awarded CALEA Accreditation. The department was initially awarded accreditation on November 17, 2012.

For more information, you may call Lieutenant Kenneth Quiocho at 961-2260.