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Committee hears broad opposition to MOUs linking Hawaii Police Department with federal agencies; forwards resolution to full council with unfavorable note
Summary
The Hawaii County Council Committee on Government Operations and External Affairs met March 18 to consider Resolution 74-25, which would authorize memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between the Hawaii Police Department and federal partners including Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI. After public testimony and questioning, the committee did not issue a favorable recommendation and will forward the measure to the full council.
The Hawaii County Council Committee on Government Operations and External Affairs met March 18 to consider Resolution 74-25, which would authorize memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between the Hawaii Police Department (HPD) and federal partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation(Honolulu Safe Streets Task Force). After extensive public testimony and questioning of HPD and county legal staff, the committee did not adopt the resolution and will forward it to the full council without a favorable recommendation.
Why it matters: The MOUs would refresh and formalize HPD relationships with federal task forces that assist on cases such as large-scale drug trafficking and other federal crimes. Opponents said the agreements risk blurring lines between local policing and federal immigration enforcement at a time of heightened federal immigration activity.
Public testimony centered on fear the MOUs could enable local involvement in immigration enforcement. Armando Rodriguez, a Kona coffee farmer and member of community planning groups, described personal family history with immigration enforcement and said, “I just don't want it to become like that here.”
Several…
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