The FBI is investigating an incident in which four Honolulu Police Department officers are accused of forcing a man to place his mouth on a urinal at a public restroom.
The incident allegedly occurred Sunday afternoon at a facility in the Keeaumoku area.
According to HPD Chief Susan Ballard, the officers were responding to a trespass complaint called in to 911 when they came into contact with the alleged victim.
She said another officer was at the scene but had left the restroom and was not aware of what was happening.
One of the officers later reported the alleged misconduct, leading to an initial internal investigation.
The four accused officers are all assigned to District I and have between three
and 16 years of experience.
All four have been placed on restricted duty.
Ballard declined to confirm whether the alleged
victim was homeless, citing privacy concerns.
Ballard said it took HPD personnel until Tuesday to locate and interview the alleged victim. HPD officials
referred the case to the FBI the following day.
“We have turned over
the information we have
obtained and are now cooperating with federal investigators,” Ballard said.
She said the allegations,
if confirmed, violate the
department’s core values.
“Our officers are sworn
to uphold the right of all persons, and I expect every officer to treat every member of the public fairly and with respect,” she said. “Personally, I am appalled at the behavior, if it is true, and appropriate action will be taken.”
Mayor Kirk Caldwell said he supported bringing in the FBI on this case.
“Police Chief Susan Ballard has done the absolutely right thing by referring the alleged misconduct by four Honolulu police officers to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for further review,” Caldwell said in a statement. “Although these officers are presumed innocent, we need an independent agency to
investigate exactly what
occurred and whether these officers engaged in civil rights abuses.
“Chief Ballard has promised to transform the Honolulu Police Department from a warrior mentality to a guardian mentality, and this is an approach to community policing that I wholeheartedly support,” the mayor said.
