As the Honolulu Police Commission prepares to select a new police chief by the end of May, residents are making clear what they want: someone who is transparent, communicative and refuses to cooperate with ICE.
More so than in previous years, that public input will shape the hiring process, and the stakes are high.
The next chief of the state’s largest police force will inherit a chronically understaffed department that faced serious morale issues under former Chief Joe Logan. He or she will be jumping into the leadership role at a time when policing is rapidly changing. New tech like AI-assisted report writing tools and surveillance drones are expanding the capabilities of officers but also drawing immense scrutiny from the public…