On Wednesday, the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) confirmed that four of its officers were arrested this month after allegations of domestic violence.

That many domestic abuse arrests among its own within one month is “unusual,” said Police Chief Joe Logan — and reason enough for heightened scrutiny.

As Logan also noted, October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month — a time for public leaders and all others to further the cause of preventing and ultimately, putting an end to violence within domestic relationships.

Perpetration of domestic violence by members of the police force, in particular, is a public safety issue. It threatens not only the abuse victims, but the operation of peace-keeping itself — revealing that controls meant to prevent criminal activity and violence by officers have been breached.

The theme for Domestic Violence Awareness Month in 2023 is “Everyone Knows Someone.” The truth that speaks to is unsettling, but must be faced. “That’s a very sobering reminder for all of us … that there are a great number of domestic violence survivors and incidents that happen every year,” Logan told the Honolulu Police Commission.

Distressingly, police officers are among the perpetrators we know. The federal Department of Justice estimates that domestic violence cases occur at about the same frequency within police ranks as within the general U.S. population.

In 2023, the HPD has had five different officers involved in eight domestic violence cases. The four officers arrested this month have had their police powers, including the power to make an arrest, removed — a necessary precaution for community safety. One of the officers has been charged, and the fourth case is pending review by prosecutors. A fifth officer was arrested earlier this year, but prosecutors declined to press the case.

Having revealed these incidents, the HPD must now involve all members of the force in cooperative efforts to prevent recurrences and defuse other potential situations for domestic violence. A special responsibility falls to the department and peers of troubled officers.

HPD has a confidential Peer Support Unit allowing officers, and their families, to seek one-on-one assistance. The department also trains recruits to recognize signs that their colleagues may need help — and to intervene as necessary. The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO) has been straightforward about its position on domestic violence, telling the Star-Advertiser that domestic violence “can never be tolerated”; given that, SHOPO must support and play a part in strengthening these peer interventions.

SHOPO and HPD also need to routinely remind officers of their duty to uphold the law: officers who learn of criminal domestic violence perpetrated by a peer must follow proper procedure in reporting a crime, rather than let misbehavior go unreported.

As for leadership, the Police Commission is right in expecting Logan and his leadership team to hold officers accused of domestic violence to account, either via the administrative process or criminal proceedings; and to identify ways to decrease and dissuade employee misconduct. HPD’s data on domestic violence involving officers show that incidence is somewhat less than in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic and its stressors. That glimmer of positive news stirs hope that proper interventions can bring the incidence down, despite the disturbing cases this month.

The bottom line, of course, should be a zero-tolerance policy for these criminal acts.

Going forward, HPD leadership, SHOPO and the Police Commission all must renew efforts to ensure that those who can benefit from help such as counseling receive it, that rogue officers are held accountable, and that no incidents are swept under the public rug.