Jasmine Lianalyn Rocha

Mr. Lay

English 11 Section A2

May 2022

Holomua: “Moving forward to improve” police-community relations on Oahu

Introduction

Contrary to popular belief, maintaining an effective police department requires strong

support and cooperation from the local community themselves. This may seem like a

straightforward issue with a straightforward solution, but there are many underlying issues that

are overlooked. Once a “foundation of trust” is established, the police will be able to “form close

relationships with the community that will produce solid achievements.” (BJA vii) The state of

Hawai’i has an advantage in achieving collaboration due to the population demographics and

culture, so we must utilize all suggested implementation efforts to maximize the potential our

police department and community has.

In Hawai’i, a disproportionate number of community members suffer from mental

illnesses, especially the homeless population. Personally, I’ve witnessed police officers handle a

schizophrenic patient call poorly because they aren’t educated about that illness and aren’t

trained in that capacity. When it comes to handling the homeless population, police officers tend

to kick residentially challenged people out of a specific area instead of working to promote

helpful legislation or exploring long-term solutions. Although Hawai’i is diverse and perpetuates

the spirit of “Aloha,” the community and the police department come in conflict often due to a

lack of education, trust, transparency, and accountability. To promote better education and
problem approaches among the community, HPD should establish conversational platforms,

expand community outreach, and work with outside organizations to improve internally.

The Problem

Most people don’t realize that perceptions don’t always align with reality. In a world

where there are so many activities to partake in and such advanced technology in circulation, we

are bound to be blind to the truth by some extraneous circumstance. A few of the most common

factors that affect perceptions of the police department are formal police contact, neighborhood

dynamics, media outlets, and personal connections.

Having firsthand encounters with the police is important, but having firsthand informal

interactions are even more vital. General firsthand interactions usually include receiving a ticket,

being pulled over, calling the police for help, having a police officer visit at school, or being in a

D.A.R.E class at school. The interactions are extreme positive or negative reactions, and are

more likely to skew perceptions of the police. The Department of Justice asserts that, “residents

with informal police contacts had more positive perceptions than residents with formal contacts.”

(NIJ ii) The officers who participate in school visits or teach classes to children in school are

specifically trained to do so. Field officers, the ones who come to your house or pull you over,

aren’t as trained in communication or formal contact as the CPT members are, which is why

certain interactions may skew your perceptions. Both of these types of contacts are formal, which

means that many teenagers in Honolulu are deprived of the needed informal encounters with

police officers.

There are also many outside, unrelated factors that influence public opinion of the police.

When a community is less united, in terms of the people who live there, it also negatively skews

perceptions of the police. When the DOJ was studying the influence of informal contact with the
police, it was found that, “the level of social cohesion and informal social control present in a

neighborhood also influenced residents’ assessments of the police. This characteristic describes

residents’ sense of mutual trust and responsibility.” (NIJ 3) If they aren’t able to compromise and

work together amongst themselves, they are less likely to show mutual trust and responsibility

with the police. Informal social control involves conformity to norms and adopting a belief

system. If the norms of the community involve collaboration, they are more likely to show

mutual trust and responsibility with the police because they feel it is their job to cooperate and be

helpful. They will also be less likely to judge the police when negative events occur.

Another outside factor that influences public opinion of the police is how often crime

occurs in a community. Perceptions of the police aren’t always influenced by direct action:

“Residents expressed less approval of officers and the way they do their job when residents

perceived problems with disorder or violent crime in their neighborhood or reported being

fearful.” (NIJ 2-3) Solving crime and protecting the people is a job associated with the police, so

if this aspect is lacking, the people will attribute it to the police lacking. People believe that they

have a right to feel safe in their home, so if they fear for their safety in their neighborhood, this

will also negatively affect how they see the police. Sometimes police officers are also affected by

the perception of a dangerous or crime-ridden neighborhood; they will see the area as a “lost

cause” and may be less likely to intervene in petty crimes or certain incidents.

A survey conducted by my team asked both public and private high school students about

any positive or negative interactions they have had with HPD, and whether or not they believe

HPD needs to be reformed. In both sections, many responses stated, “I’ve never personally had

an encounter/experience with HPD,” or something similar. (Rocha Q7-Q8) Many students don’t

have personal experience to rely on when forming perceptions, so they turn to their friends,
family, and social media like most teenagers do. A majority of our survey respondents indicated

that they receive their news via social media or word of mouth, which supports the above

statement. (Rocha 4) The information coming to them through these sources already have a bias,

such as the preconceived notions of their friends and family, or the mainstream rumors posted by

their mutuals from social media. These aren’t primary sources and therefore can’t be treated with

the guarantee that the information being shared is 100% bias free and strictly educational.

Those who shared they have had positive experiences with HPD gave 1 of the following

3 reasons: they have friends or family who are police officers, they have had police officers

come to their schools and teach D.A.R.E or other programs, or they have received help briefly

from an officer.

“My uncle was a police officer. He often talked to me and my family about the

perspective of HPD and how difficult things may be on their part. When my uncle was

diagnosed with cancer, his fellow officers came in every day whenever they were

available. They provided him and his family food, they prayed for him, cried for him.

Then, when he died, they escorted his body and family members all the way to the

cemetery. We passed the police station that he used to work at (D4) and they all saluted

his body.” (Rocha Q7)

This situation occurs the other way around, where a person’s enemy is a police officer and since

they don’t like that person, they form the negatively skewed perception that all police officers act

like that person they dislike.

As expected, not everyone in the police department acts with good intentions and there

are corrupt officers out there. Although corrupt officers aren’t commonplace in this state, one

bad situation can taint the community’s perception of HPD for years to come. An example is the
Kealoha case, where one particular Police Chief and his wife manipulated many people and it

blew up on the news. While this was one unique case of people who have poor morals and ill

intentions, it still fosters distrust for the police in the eyes of many Hawai’i citizens today.

Adding on to this, the recent events of police brutality in the mainland have become mainstream

media and the most popular headlines on news sites. Most teenagers get their knowledge of

events from social media: “No I have never had an encounter/experience with the HPD. But, I

have seen on social media that some police are arresting innocent black people.” (Rocha Q8)

This isn’t as big of an issue in Hawai’i as it is in the mainland, but Hawai’i residents tend to

generalize the mainland’s instances of corruption and brutality to this state, which greatly

influences their perceptions. There are needs for better police training in certain aspects like de-

escalation techniques and handling those with mental disabilities/illnesses, but the community’s

perception of the police is largely influenced by events occurring throughout the country.

Nowadays, it is not uncommon for teenagers to be excluded from real life conversations.

One response that demonstrated frustration and apathy stated, “Why are we doing this quiz, our

answers are going to change absolutely nothing.” (Rocha Q15) A second response that

demonstrated a lack of education stated, “I can’t drive or drink or own a firearm, so they would

have no reason to arrest me.” (Rocha 8) In order for there to be trust, transparency, and education

among the community, the younger generations must be included in this process of growth,

healing, and expansion. Shielding teenagers from heavy conversations may lead to problems

down the line because they won’t be active in these events or issues. It is better to expose them to

the reality of the situation than to have them grow up uneducated and passive, which further

strains police-community relations.

Previous/Current Efforts

Research is the foundation to any qualified and effective agency. The National Institute

of Justice released a strategic research plan that emphasizes the importance of in depth education

before acting upon an issue.

The first important component in improving a police department is focusing attention on

those being hired to work in the department. This requires “research that will build knowledge to

develop and maintain a police agency composed of qualified and committed personnel as the

policing profession continues to evolve over time” (NIJ 1). Factors that influence employee

morale and motivation are of great priority because they want candidates who are committed to

their job and have the proper qualifications. The policing techniques and environments are

changing all the time, and these diverse conditions need to be accounted for in updated research

throughout specific intervals of time. This will help evaluate each department and the programs

that are contributing to a thriving workforce climate.

The second important component to an effective police department is up to date policing

practices. Research must be consistently conducted to cover “police operations, police

performance, police decision-making, effectiveness and efficiency of police operations,

organizational leadership, policing strategies, and partnerships” (NIJ 4). This information will

help each department create an active agenda to improve the procedures that they use. Someone

in a leadership position can’t provide change if they aren’t aware of which aspects of their

department truly need reforms. The NIJ specifically emphasizes police decision-making,

organizational leadership, and partnerships, which are three of the most recent issues we have

seen within HPD. Research in these areas can give the police department a better idea of the

factors that impact these issues in Hawai’i alone.

 The third important component to strengthening police agencies is enhanced police-

community relations. Police are “a part of the community, and how they engage in the day-to-

day execution of their duties impacts the communities they serve” (NIJ 8). Because of this, the

police must be aware of the expectations of the police from their communities and how their

policing strategies impact the people. Community involvement is essential to effective police

departments when it comes to garnering community cooperation and support. If the people are

more active, the police will have an easier time keeping people safe and the people will have an

increased level of comfort in coming to the police with information or input.

An action plan is required to put this extensive research and input to use. Another agency

within the Department of Justice, the Office of Justice Programs, has released a piece on the

importance of community policing, which will put require the department to apply their research

to real life.

Community policing involves collaboration between the police department and the

public. The police won’t bear the sole responsibility of maintaining law and order in the

community, and the people will act as allies to actively improve the security of their own

neighborhood. With this method, not only will the community work to solve the issues they are

concerned about, but they will also be able to hold their police department accountable. The

traditional method of policing tactics limit when, where, and how much an officer can control

crime. A symbiotic relationship between the police and the community reduces these limitations

and allows for more far-reaching impacts. Through this relationship, there must be an emphasis

on increased positive interactions, extensive research and observation, cooperation, and proper

officer distribution.

The first component of community policing is community partnership, which is

“establishing and maintaining mutual trust” (OJP 15). The police department must become a

fundamental piece of the community, while the community helps guide the priorities of the

department. For community partnership to be effective, policing practices must go beyond what

the law itself says. A community may need a mediator or “crime-stopper” to increase safety, but

it also needs additional assistance for people in special circumstances. For example, the police

should also be “helping accident or crime victims, providing emergency medical services,

helping resolve domestic and neighborhood conflicts, controlling automobile and pedestrian

traffic, providing emergency social services and referrals to those at risk protecting the exercise

of constitutional rights, and providing a model of citizenship” (OJP 15). These extra services will

convey that sense of security that may be missing, which will in turn develop trust that will open

the door to further collaboration and problem-solving.

The second component of community policing is problem-solving itself. This must be

based on the assumption that “underlying conditions create problems,” (OJP 18) and these

conditions could create a wide variety of problems, and those problems can create an even wider

variety of incidents. These problems and incidents appear to be different, but they all originate

from the same “underlying condition.” Problem-solving must then be utilized to critically think

and uncover the fundamental issue, which will eradicate all of the issues that form as a result.

The police department can’t complete this process on their own, and it has been recognized that

“community participation in identifying and setting priorities will contribute to effective

problem-solving efforts” (OJP 18). This system of “cooperative problem-solving” will build trust

between both parties and allow for a healthy relationship in exchanging information and solving

other issues in the community.

Solutions
 President Barack Obama commissioned the “Task Force On 21st Century Policing” to

collect data and provide solutions for police departments nationwide to implement. This is an

approach to improving policing that involves law enforcement, the community, and the

government to work together towards a common goal.

Law enforcement plays a vital role in doing what’s best for the common good and should

always be developing new strategies that engage community members and groups. Reviewing

and updating polices, training, and data collection regularly will help the department adapt to

what the community needs and what they need to take action on. They should emphasize de-

escalation techniques or other alternatives that will lead to safe arrests when it is needed. The

departments should include scenarios where lethal tactics should or shouldn’t be used, to help

their officers discern between situations where their weapons should and shouldn’t be used. In

order to increase transparency, each department should make their data, policies, and procedures

readily available to the public in multiple languages and on multiple access points. They should

also converse with other agencies and departments to learn the best practices in policing and to

share how to overcome challenges in that aspect. Each department should call the Peace Officer

Standards and Training (POST) Commission to implement more training for every officer level

to ensure fair and impartial practices in policing and within the department itself. They should

reflect on and improve their hiring procedures to get the community’s opinion on possible

recruits for the police department, and should have them assist in the initial screening process.

Last but not least, officers must be equipped with the tools essential to maintaining their safety in

the field, and should be using protective gear while in a motor vehicle or other form of

transportation.
 The community must be civically engaged in order to influence improvements in their

neighborhoods and how safe they feel in their community. They can be actively communicating

with their local police department through town hall meetings, surveys, civilian oversight, and

whatever else there is to offer. Members can form activist groups and volunteer with officers to

tackle specific issues, reduce crime, or improve life and safety. The public can work on a closer

level with local police departments to make sure resources are being properly allocated to crime

reduction and appropriate tactics are being used in up close interactions. Calling state legislators

can influence how they vote on certain laws or what laws they propose themselves. They can

help hold the police departments accountable through the law-making process. Community

members could also assist in reviewing school policies and procedures when it comes to

handling severe misbehavior. They could also advocate for intervention programs to decrease the

number of juveniles who enter Juvenile Detention Centers.

Local governments and officials are responsible for upholding community relationships

and must maintain trust, safety, and security. They can engage the community in two-sided

conversations about any concerns or issues that must be hashed out, especially those about trust

transparency. Opportunities for listening in various areas and groups is an extremely beneficial

platform to rebuilt relations with constituents. Local governments can also specifically designate

funds and staff to help law enforcement on organization, paperwork, reports, and more. This will

help policies and records be more accessible to the public and will allow for even more

conversational opportunities. Community surveys are a straightforward way to gauge how the

public feels about the effectiveness of their local police department. The results could serve as

baselines to measure progress, set improvement goals, and engage the community in more

conversation. Since every neighborhood and district is different, each department should
explicitly define the role and capacity of civilian oversight. This should best serve the needs of

the community and target issues that people are actively worried about or trying to tackle. The

local elected officials should also teach the community about relevant economic issues and how

these affect unity and crime in their area. This will increase education, and therefore mutual

understanding and opportunity for conversation.

The DOJ released a piece about the importance of police-community relations and how

this relationship can be improved. They have released quite a few research-based reports for

people to read due to the recent events taking place throughout the country. The four steps, as

presented by the Department of Justice are as follows: acknowledge and discuss with your

communities the challenges you are facing, be transparent and accountable, take steps to reduce

bias and improve cultural competency, and maintain focus on the importance of collaboration,

and be visible in the community.

The key word in this issue is “mutual.” Many people approach this issue as one that is

one-sided and one that only the police department is responsible for. The Department of Justice

believes that “strong relationships of mutual trust between police agencies and the communities

they serve are critical to maintaining public safety and effective policing.” (DOJ 1) In any

relationship, there must be visible effort and change, especially if there is something that needs

to be improved. Each party must meet the other halfway or there will be no compromise and no

growth. The police department and the community have a relationship with each other than most

definitely needs improving, so why is it that the community usually believes that they must

always be on the receiving end of positive change? Why is it that the police department feels

frustration from preconceived bias and uncooperative attitudes? HPD has a responsibility to

“serve and protect” the community, but the community must also meet them halfway and be
open and cooperative with HPD. This requires trust and honesty on both sides, and can’t be

accomplished without mutual behavior.

In order to improve this relationship, the first step HPD must take is being honest about

the struggles they are facing. No good comes from pretending you are succeeding, only for it to

be revealed that you were lying. Being open about the challenges and realities of HPD may cause

some backlash, but it opens the door to mutual communication and conveys a sense of

transparency with the community. This leads into the next step HPD needs to take, which is

transparency and accountability. HPD must be open about all aspects of the department, and

must take accountability for any actions taken or any of their employees. Being transparent is

one thing, but being accountable proves to the public that although HPD may make mistakes,

they are aware of what they did and will correct it. It is also recommended that HPD administer

training to their employees on diversity, implicit bias, and cultural competency. Police officers

must understand the different races, ethnicities, and cultures of the people in their district so they

are less likely to discriminate and can improve their understanding and communication. Above

all, there must be collaboration and HPD must enforce this focus. If the department remains

visible to the public and isn’t seen as unreachable authority, it will lead to more engagement and

easier interactions.

Although HPD has a lot of work to do as the “authority,” there are some limits to what

they should do. When it comes to transparency, HPD should tell the public as much as they can

as soon as they can, but should keep chaos-inducing information quiet for the time being.

Keeping certain information private can be beneficial for both parties, as long as HPD

communicates that it would be detrimental to release any more information at the time. The
community plays a role in this as well because they have to be understanding that HPD has a job

to carry out, and they must trust that they know what is necessary at that time.

Conclusion

Given Oahu’s characteristics and demographics, it has high potential for strong police-

community relations. Despite us having slightly different values based on what part of the island

we reside in, everyone unites for a good cause. The spirit of aloha and hospitality runs deep in

the people of Hawai’i and if we try hard enough, we can support HPD in their journey to reform

and recover. While HPD needs to do their part by holding their employees accountable and

making sure their policies are in check, they need the support of the community now more than

ever, especially after a big shock from the Kealoha scandal. Many legal experts here believe that

we are one of the best states in the nation in terms of police brutality and corruption, and

therefore in police-community relationships.

These changes will take great sacrifice and effort from HPD, the state government, and

the people, and we have to commit ourselves to working for this common good. To get to the

root of the issue, the concern over teenage education and involvement must receive much more

attention. If the future generation of Hawaii’s leaders are well educated while they are still

young, they will be solid in their morals, beliefs, and skillsets by the time they become adults.

With all the controversy surrounding technology, the media, and more, we must teach the youth

the value of finding information from primary sources and searching for the truth. While Hawai’i

may be years away from finding a system that’s effective through and through, our people have

the resilience and the grit to overcome these challenges together, and to Holomua towards a

brighter future for our home.

 Works Cited

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Police." Office of Justice Programs, www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/197925.pdf. Accessed

24 Apr. 2022.

Gaffigan, Stephen J., et al. "Understanding Community Policing; A Framework for

Action." Office of Justice Programs, www.ojp.gov/pdffiles/commp.pdf. Accessed

24 Apr. 2022.

"Importance of Police-Community Relationships and Resources for Further Reading." U.S.

Department of Justice, www.justice.gov/file/1437336/download. Accessed 24 Apr. 2022.

"National Institute of Justice Policing Strategic Research Plan 2017-2022." Office of Justice

Programs, www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/250915.pdf. Accessed 24 Apr. 2022.

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%3DuPzDO-niNk6r_OJ-QRhehMGvjGgDhHZGkWJWxUNJ-

4JUNklWTVM4SFBKRjA3MlRKTE44U1ozNEVBNC4u%26Token

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