HPD to use pickup trucks as some patrol vehicles
MIA ANZALONE / MANZALONE@STARADVERTISER.COM
A Honolulu Police Department pickup truck sits in front of the police station on South Beretania Street.
For the first time ever, the Honolulu Police Department will employ pickup trucks as patrol vehicles in each of the eight districts.
In total, 10 trucks will be used around the island. The trucks were initially bought in 2020 with money from the CARES Act to distribute vaccines, cleaning supplies and food during the pandemic. Now, they will be repurposed as patrol vehicles with no extra cost from the department or the community, District 1 Maj. Calvin Sung said.
The trucks also will make officers’ jobs much easier, Sung said. Normally, officers in need of large items or motorcycles would need to wait for pickup trucks or tail wagons to come to a scene. By using the pickup truck as the patrol vehicle, officers can get to a location better- equipped and faster.
“If you see an HPD pickup truck at a traffic stop, don’t be alarmed,” Sung said. “They are just normal patrol vehicles.”
There is no official end date for this pilot program, but Sung said they will be reevaluating the program within the year.
