In light of the critical shortage of sworn police officers, the Honolulu Police Department should seriously consider establishing an unarmed Community Service Officer auxiliary. While a CSO would not have arrest powers, they could be trained to respond to calls for service that do not require the use of force, help manage traffic and crowd control, and free up HPD resources for more urgent matters.

The recent power outage in Honolulu is a good example. Several police officers were required to manage intersections 24/7 for days while the traffic lights were out, pulling significant resources away from an already strapped HPD.

This innovative approach to community policing has been highly successful in other large cities for several years. In addition, it can help keep retired officers on the beat a little longer or introduce interested candidates to the field of law enforcement.

Justin Sloan

Ewa Beach

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