HONOLULU (KHON2) — Las Vegas is a popular destination for Hawaii travelers, and now the Honolulu Police Department hopes to hit the jackpot there — by finding new recruits to help fill hundreds of job vacancies.
The department is currently short about 450 officers. In an effort to close that gap, HPD officials say they’re taking their recruitment efforts on the road.
Next month, HPD will hold in-person testing in Las Vegas for out-of-state applicants. Officials say the move is designed to make it easier — and more affordable — for candidates to apply.
“The biggest deterrent is airfare and lodging to Hawaii,” said Maj. Parker Bode of the Honolulu Police Department. “So instead of them coming to us, we’re going to go to them at a central location. Hopefully it cuts down on costs.”
This will mark HPD’s third recruiting trip to the mainland in recent years. Department leaders say these trips, along with changes to marketing strategies and new signing bonuses, have already made an impact.
According to HPD, applications rose 20% in 2024 compared to 2023, and the number of recruits increased by 50%.
Honolulu City Councilmember Val Okimoto said the hiring problem goes beyond the department.
“When we look at the problem, it’s not just the department’s difficulty with filling the vacancies,” Okimoto said. “We do have a culture here where people in our communities don’t respond to our police officers. That has to be changed.”
Councilmember Andria Tupola agreed, adding that hiring efforts must go hand-in-hand with retention.
“I just wanted to emphasize that, yes, let’s do everything we can for retention,” she said. “But let us not forget that if we are recruiting the same amount of people that are leaving, we are still net zero.”
According to Tupola, a survey conducted last year found that HPD employees cited a lack of training, outdated vehicles, and poor communication and morale as reasons for leaving the force.
“All of those things are separate from recruiting,” she said. “But all of those things are also affecting people’s desire to stay within the department.”
HPD officials say they are working to address these issues and are exploring “out of the box” strategies, including possible retention incentives and child care services.
“Because at the rate that we’re at, we can’t be just guessing,” Tupola said. “There has to be people with the experience of what to do, and then we have to come out with a specific written plan. I have seen no such plan.”
Okimoto said she understands the challenge is ongoing.
“This is not a problem that’s going to be solved overnight,” she said. “I’ve expressed the questions and concerns that I have, and I think they are doing a good job trying to get out there and think of ways.”