Council committee approves $400,000 transfer to buy support vehicles for HPD community policing teams

The Honolulu City Council Committee on Budget voted to report out Resolution 25-208, authorizing a transfer of up to $400,000 from the patrol activity current expense account to the patrol activity equipment account to purchase support vehicles for Honolulu Police Department community policing teams. Major Elgin Arcaro, HPD, said the department will buy seven vans and one truck to support community policing team activities and that the transfer is intended to comply with an ordinance proviso tied to the current budget.

The cash move was described as a compliance action with an unfunded proviso in Ordinance 25-38. Committee Vice Chair Nishimoto asked whether the transfer was tied to that proviso; Arcaro confirmed it was. Council Member Tupala asked how the vehicles would be used; Arcaro said they will transport equipment, personnel and support community events such as keiki and kupuna ID programs. Tupala also clarified the vehicles will serve CPT teams in all eight districts; Arcaro said District 8 also needs a truck for heavier transport tasks.

Remote testimony included support from Donald Sakamoto, who identified himself as a Kaneohe resident and urged the committee to approve the transfer so District 4 and other neighborhoods will have the vehicles they need. After discussion the chair recommended the resolution be reported out for adoption; no objections were raised and the committee ordered it reported.

This action moves existing general fund money within HPD’s patrol activity from current expenses into equipment to purchase support vehicles. No procurement contract details, vendor names or delivery schedule were provided during the hearing. The committee did not take final adoption on the floor during the committee meeting; it reported the resolution out for adoption to the next step in the legislative process.

Members and staff noted that some existing CPT vehicles were purchased with asset forfeiture funds and that at least one such CPT van in District 5 is more than 10 years old. Council members asked staff to coordinate with vehicle maintenance to ensure department assets already in service are used efficiently and not duplicated.

The committee’s action was procedural: the chair recommended reporting the resolution out for adoption and, hearing no objections, the committee so ordered it reported.