Part 1
In the Name of the Law: What the Public Isn’t Being Told About Police Misconduct
Part 1 of a 5-part series
Click here to read all the stories in Civil Beat's special report: In The Name Of The Law.
In 1997, Honolulu police officer Russell Won went to federal prison for his involvement in beating an inmate at the Pearl City police station.
A year later, he was back in Honolulu — and back in police work. The federal prison sentence didn’t cause the Honolulu Police Department to fire him. Instead, he was put on leave without pay while he did his time.
When his sentence was over he was assigned to train new ...
Civil Beat Analysis Of Honolulu Police Misconduct
Civil Beat analyzed 13 years of HPD data provided to the Legislature.
INFOGRAPHIC: Honolulu Police Misconduct Through The Years
At a glance: Key findings from our analysis of HPD misconduct summaries.
CHARTS: HPD Misconduct And Punishment 2000-2012
Interactive graphs illustrate misconduct and disciplinary action taken by HPD over 13-year period.
Many Of The Required Summaries Are Nowhere To Be Found
Maui, Kauai and Hawaii counties' misconduct summaries can't be found by legislative officials.
VIDEO: Police Misconduct - How We Did The Series
Reporter Nick Grube talks about the series and what we found out about police misconduct.
Only A Few Honolulu Cops Have Lost Their Jobs
Officials have tried to fire about two dozen officers but only 12 have actually been kicked off.
Part 2
In the Name of the Law: UH Students vs. The Police
Part 2 of a 5-part series
Click here to read all the stories in Civil Beat's special report: In The Name Of The Law.
On March 29, 1994, nearly 500 police officers staged a show of force at the state courthouse in downtown Honolulu the likes of which hadn’t been seen in the islands before or since.
The huge demonstration was meant to intimidate a handful of University of Hawaii journalism students who wanted to know the names of Honolulu police officers who had been suspended or discharged for misconduct.
Patrol cars took up every parking space around ...
The Verdict: Judge Rules In Favor Of Public Disclosure Of Misconduct
Circuit Court Judge Lim made a strong statement for the public's need to scrutinize police behavior.
DATABASE: A Compilation Of Honolulu Police Misconduct
Civil Beat complied 13 years of Honolulu police misconduct summaries into a database.
VIDEO: Attorney Jeff Portnoy On The Fight For Misconduct Records
Honolulu First Amendment attorney Jeff Portnoy recalls the intense public and legal debate.
A Test Of Hawaii's Fledgling Public Records Law
The exemption for police disciplinary records has its basis in a 1993 clarification of the law.
Part 3
In the Name of the Law: Hawaii Police Union 'Outguns' Students
Part 3 of a 5-part series
Click here to read all the stories in Civil Beat's special report, In The Name Of The Law.
Even before Hawaii Circuit Court Judge John Lim unequivocally championed the public interest in police disciplinary actions and ruled against the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, SHOPO had a Plan B — get the Legislature to do what the courts would not.
SHOPO had reason to believe this would work — and it did. Hawaii is a union-friendly state, and the police had recently convinced lawmakers to narrow public disclosure of misconduct to officers whose ...
VIDEO: Opposing Forces: Portnoy vs. Green
Michael Green represented the cops in the public records fight, Jeff Portnoy advocated for students.
VIDEO: SHOPO's 1995 Training Video
The Hawaii police union produced a video aimed at boosting sympathy for police officers.
Part 4
In The Name Of The Law: What The Police Commission Isn't Doing About Misconduct
Part 4 of a 5-part series
Click here to read all the stories in Civil Beat's special report, In The Name Of The Law.
On a Wednesday just before Christmas, Chief Louis Kealoha addressed the Honolulu Police Commission.
The police commission meets twice a month, its primary role to watch over the police department, keep track of the police chief and hear citizen complaints.
But on Dec. 5, the Honolulu chief didn’t update the commission in open session on conduct in his department, pending investigations or any disciplinary actions taken against officers.
Instead, Kealoha sat at a conference ...
Show Us The Money: HPD Wants $2K For Three Files
The Honolulu Police Department is charging us more than $2,000 for the disciplinary records of three officers.
Hawaii County Releases Cop Misconduct Summaries
Under a public records request, Hawaii County produced misconduct summaries from 2005 through 2012.
Part 5
In The Name Of The Law: Should Police Misconduct Be Public?
Last of a 5-part series
Click here to read all the stories in Civil Beat's special report, In The Name Of The Law.
Eighteen years ago former Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano let bad cops off the hook when he allowed county police officers who got in trouble to remain anonymous.
Back then he said he was torn by his decision. But now he says granting that secrecy was a mistake.
His trust in the system of checks and balances has eroded over the past two decades.
“The reason I changed my mind is that during the last 10 years ...
Hawaii Lags Behind Other States In Misconduct Disclosure
Most other states make their police misconduct and personnel files public.
At HPD, Domestic Violence Is Not Uncommon But It's Hard To Track
Three officers who were discharged won their jobs back on appeal.
VIDEO: Hawaii Lawmakers Set To Revisit Police Misconduct
State Sens. Ihara and Espero discuss the lack of transparency surrounding police misconduct.
