On Friday, July 8, Governor David Ige signed HB2171 which establishes a new Department of Law Enforcement (DLE). The last time a new department was formed in the state was over 30 years ago, in 1989, with the creation of the Department of Public Safety.

The new DLE includes the Department of Public Safety’s Law Enforcement Division (State Sheriff Division and Narcotics Enforcement Division) and Internal Affairs Office, Department of Transportation Harbors Division and the Department of the Attorney General’s Criminal Investigative Division. The new department will also include the Department of Defense Office of Homeland Security, and the Hawaiʻi State Fusion Center.

In a statement Governor Ige said, “Hawaiʻi is the only state in the country that doesn’t have a centralized, independent state law enforcement agency. The new department will allow more efficient and effective emergency response, criminal law enforcement, investigations and homeland security operations.”

The projected timeline for the transition is as follows:

July 1, 2022 – Transition team begins implementation and creation of framework and infrastructure for the new DLE.

July 1, 2023 – Administrative infrastructure is established in the DLE. The process to begin filling all allocated positions begins.

January 1, 2024 – Transfer of Department of the Attorney General non-statutorily mandated investigative functions and related employees, Department of Transportation Harbors Division criminal law enforcement functions and related employees, and Department of Defense Office of Homeland Security, to include the Hawaiʻi State Fusion Center.

January 1, 2024 – The Department of Public Safety renamed to Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR). Both departments become independent and fully operational.

(Photo credit: Office of Governor Ige)