Shocking incidents of violence have prompted increased official attention to crime in two very different parts of the island — Waikiki and the Waianae Coast — and focus is bringing results, according to reports in last week’s Star-Advertiser. That’s good news — and information that must be acted upon to keep the momentum going.

Honolulu city officials and police, in particular, must draw from their experiences in Waikiki to put the most effective techniques in play on the West Side. In coordination with the city, state and federal officials who have pledged to aid the Waianae Coast also must assist with developing additional services — and continue showing up and providing needed security and human services help to these shamefully neglected communities.

It’s well-documented that the Waianae Coast has a crime problem. According to a January report by security-systems vendor Cove, federal crime statistics show the statewide violent crime rate at 249 incidents per 100,000 people, compared to 421 violent crimes per 100,000 in Nanakuli, ranked as the “most dangerous city in Hawaii.” Cove reports Hawaii’s property crime rate at 2,870 out of 100,000 — already higher than the national average — and Nanakuli’s at 3,928 per 100,000. That’s stunning — and not in a good way. Waianae ties for second with Hawaiian Paradise Park; Makaha and Maili round out this dubious “top 5.”

Since August, the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) has coordinated a “saturation” operation in West Oahu, using officers from its Major Events Division to beef up patrol and investigation capacity. A “marked decrease” in violent and other crimes is now being reported — and so, the encouraging trendline should be continued. A permanent increase in deployment is necessary, and can be accomplished by hiring additional officers and adjusting HPD’s budget as required.

HPD’s much-needed push against “ghost guns” is also very welcome. HPD’s call to make possession of three or more unregistered gun parts a misdemeanor and possession of any one gun part by a convicted felon a Class B felony must be taken up by state lawmakers.

On the West Side, the city is getting help from state sheriff’s deputies, Department of Land and Natural Resources officers and federal Homeland Security investigators, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The only head-scratcher here is why it took so long to summon up this help — particularly at the state-managed Waianae Boat Harbor, site of multiple violent incidents. One hopes the show of interest won’t wane now that election season is over.

Of course, law enforcement and arrests alone cannot solve the Waianae Coast’s problems. High unemployment and drug use are commonly cited for the excessive crime rate, and they are surely factors. The Waianae Coast needs an equivalent “surge” in assistance with employment and drug treatment to effectively reverse its travails.

At a joint news conference about West Oahu crime on Aug. 16, with federal, state and city officials present, Gov. Josh Green said, “Gun violence is a public health problem as much as it is a public safety problem. Many people need universal access to drug treatment and treatment for mental illness. … As an entire community, we have to address the root causes.”

In Waikiki, a program to place “Aloha Ambassadors” and an outreach coordinator on the streets overnight to keep beaches cleared and get people help as needed — funded by the city and Waikiki Business Improvement District (WBID) — has resulted in a notable change of character for the tourist zone after dark.

The city has run the ambassador program along with Safe &Sound Waikiki, a crime reduction and human services program that’s similar to Honolulu’s Weed &Seed effort, since September 2022. In that time, there has been a 27% reduction in Waikiki homelessness — the lowest count measured over the past 18 years.

Bravo. Now, let’s bring overnight presence and human services outreach to the West Side.

The programs wouldn’t be exact duplicates. For example, it wouldn’t be practical to prohibit petty criminals on the West Side who also live there from being present in the area, as Safe &Sound does with court-established geographic restrictions in Waikiki. But walking patrols combined with sustained police presence have an effect, as Waikiki’s promising declines in robberies (19%), burglaries (30%) and vehicle break-ins (38%) prove.

The issue is funding. Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s office funds the ambassador program with a $200,000 grant. WBID coughs up $115,000 to support outreach services by the Institute for Human Services — and is seeking additional grants and funding.

On the Waianae Coast, this is where U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, state and city lawmakers can help — with funding, and leadership, to ensure that anticrime efforts take hold and targeted services reach those who need them.