Hawaii County Arrest Records

Getting arrested is only one potential repercussion for those found violating a penal law in Hawaii County. Depending on the seriousness of an offense, the accused may be taken into police custody and fingerprinted. Their photograph may be taken, their belongings searched and inventoried, and they may be subject to medical/mental health screenings and criminal background checks.

Once documented for an offense, the suspect may be held at a detention center or jail until they appear in court to answer the charges, or they may be released with a promise to appear for their court hearing ("own recognizance") or released on bond. Either way, the arresting agency will create documentation about the incident, one of which is an "arrest record".

Arrest records serve different purposes within the criminal justice system in Hawaii County. Besides assisting members of the public in understanding why a person was arrested or which agency performed an arrest, arrest records are also crucial for initiating legal proceedings to determine a person's guilt or innocence. Still, interested persons may review these records in conjunction with the Hawaii County court records when looking for the final outcome of an arrest.

Are Arrest Records Public in Hawaii County?

Yes. The Uniform Information Practices Act ("UIPA"), indexed in Chapter 92F of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), grants the public broad access to records maintained by state and local public bodies. For this reason, anyone can request a Hawaii County arrest record from a law enforcement agency or other legal custodian. No statement of purpose is required, and the request must not necessarily be made by a citizen of the state.

However, there are some limitations to the general public's access, such as:

• Records related to ongoing investigations
• Non-conviction arrest information
• Records whose disclosure would reveal a confidential source
• Arrest records sealed by judicial order

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Hawaii County's public arrest records typically comprise the following information:

• The full name, age, race, and sex of the apprehended person
• The arrest date, time, and location
• The offense, offense code, and description
• The arresting officer and agency
• The suspect's release date, time, and condition

Hawaii County Crime Rate

The Hawaii Department of the Attorney General's (AG) Uniform Crime Report revealed 16,205 crimes occurring in Hawaii County in 2020 (the latest report year available). Of the crime total, 4,643 were index offenses, and 11,562 were categorized as Part II offenses.

In 2020, violent index crimes in Hawaii County totaled 613, while property index crimes accounted for 4,030 of the index offense total. The frequently reported index crimes that year were mostly property crimes, such as larceny-theft (2,710 incidents), motor vehicle theft (665 cases), and burglary (655 incidents). Hawaii County's index crime rate in 2020 was 2,306.9 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Compared to the previous year's report, the total index offenses reported in Hawaii County increased by 1.1%, violent crimes increased by 67.9%, and property crimes declined by 4.7%.

Hawaii County Arrest Statistics

According to the Hawaii State AG's annual Uniform Crime Report, arrests in Hawaii County totaled 8,139 in 2020, constituting 1,118 index crimes and 7,021 Part II offenses.

Of the index crimes reported in Hawaii County in 2020, 313 were violent crimes, and 805 were property crimes. Assault (206) and robbery (42) were the most reported violent index crimes, and larceny-theft (510) and motor vehicle theft (144) were more commonly reported than other property index crimes.

In 2020, more adults than juveniles were arrested for index crimes in Hawaii County. Adult arrests comprised 96.6% (1,080) of the total index offense arrests, while juvenile arrests constituted 3.4% (38).

Note: Index crimes include burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, murder, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery. "Arson" is included for total index offenses arrests. Meanwhile, Part II offenses cover all crimes, except traffic offenses, not included among the index offenses. Examples include disorderly conduct, driving under the influence (DUI), embezzlement, manslaughter by negligence, weapons offenses, etc.

Find Hawaii County Arrest Records

The typical place of inquiry for an arrest record is the police department with jurisdiction over the place where an arrest happened. In Hawaii County, members of the public can request information on arrested adults from the Hawai'i Police Department. (Note that juvenile arrest records are restricted from general access under the law.)

Requests can be submitted in person to the Hawai'i Police Department at 349 Kapiolani Street, Hilo, HI 96720, or parties can call any of the following numbers for arrest information:

• East Hawai'i: (808) 961-2213
• West Hawai'i: (808) 326-4646 ext. 293

Requesters must often provide at least the first and last name of the adult in question to facilitate record retrieval.

Individuals seeking information about a person arrested in Hawaii County and detained at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center can call the center at (808) 933-0431.

Occasionally, a federal agency may arrest a person in Hawaii County. In such instances, the arrestee may be held at a local jail pending their transfer to federal custody. However, if the suspect has been transferred out, their location may be sought from the Federal Bureau of Prisons at (202) 307-3198 or by searching the Federal Inmate Locator.

Free Arrest Record Search in Hawaii County

Individuals seeking a free arrest record search in Hawaii County can contact the local police department through the recommended means, such as in person or via phone. If a requester only wishes to inspect a record, no fee is usually collected. However, where a record must be duplicated, the police agency often charges a nominal dollar amount.

Third-party public records databases are equally available to the public for no-cost arrest record inquiries. These databases are hosted on websites accessible to anyone who can provide the first and last name of the person whose records are being requested. However, for websites that offer extended access, users may be liable for fees if they wish to see other public records associated with the search subject.

Get Hawaii County Criminal Records

A criminal record in Hawaii County, or criminal history record information, is a compilation of a person's arrests and convictions. This record is mainly available through the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center (HCJDC), a division of the state's Department of the Attorney General, which serves as the statewide criminal record repository.

The HCJDC provides the public with name- and fingerprint-based criminal record checks. A name-based check uses a person's name to determine whether they have a criminal record in Hawaii County or other Hawaii State regions. Meanwhile, a fingerprint-based check uses a fingerprint comparison, alongside other identifying information, to ascertain whether someone has a criminal record. Notwithstanding, these checks only reveal adult criminal history information from Hawaiian counties, except where a record pertains to a juvenile whose case was transferred to adult court. (Eligible parties who wish to conduct a juvenile record check should contact the Hawaii State Judiciary Family Court's Juvenile Records Department at (808) 954-8190.)

In Hawaii, arrest records that resulted in convictions (a guilty disposition) or acquittals/dismissals because of a physical/mental disease, disorder, or defect under HRS, Chapter 704, are publicly available. However, arrest records relating to non-convictions or deemed pending are closed documents and unavailable to the general public. Only criminal justice agencies and parties authorized under Hawaii's laws can access the latter documents.

Below are the HCJDC's recommended methods for conducting name-based criminal record checks for adult criminal records.

• In-Person at the Public Access Sites: The Public Access Sites are designated locations where arrest records that led to convictions are available to the public. Hawaii County has two such locations: the Hawaii Police Department and its Kona District Police Station (74-5221 Queen Kaahumanu Highway, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740). Interested parties can stop by during working hours or call for inquiries. The Kona Police Station can be reached at (808) 326-4646 ext. 286. There is a $25 charge for each printout at a Public Access Site.
• Online via the Adult Criminal Conviction Information (eCrim) website: Those who cannot visit a Public Access Site can navigate to the eCrim website to complete a name-based criminal record check for $15 per printout. Each name search costs $5, and the resulting certified record costs $10. The results are emailed to the requester.
• In-Office/By Mail: Individuals can visit or write to the HCJDC's Criminal History Record Checks Unit to request a name-based background check. Each request costs $30, with an additional $20 to certify the results. Requests can be made at the HCJDC's office using the agency's request form. One can also complete and send this form by mail, plus a money order or cashier's check for the fee, to the following address:

Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center
Attn: CHRC Unit
465 South King Street
Room 102
Honolulu, HI 96813

The HCJDC's website has information about conducting fingerprint-based checks that reveal Hawaii-only adult criminal records. Unlike name-based checks, fingerprint checks are only provided via an in-office appointment (one must download and print the relevant request form) or by mailing a completed request form and a complete set of fingerprint card(s) to the HCJDC. The agency charges $55 for in-office requests, with an additional $20 to certify the results. The fee for mail-in requests is $35, plus an extra $20 for certification.

No fee is assessed for notary services, whether conducting an in-office/mail-in fingerprint- or name-based criminal record check.

Hawaii County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest and criminal records present important information about someone's offender history, but these records have their distinctions. Arrest records typically narrate the events or circumstances of a single arrest incident. These records do not expound on the formal criminal charges filed against the suspect or the sentence imposed by the court, if at all any.

However, criminal records are broader accounts of the criminal justice process following a person's arrest. These records include the formal charges or indictments, convictions, and sentences. As such, a criminal record can be reviewed to determine a person's suitability for employment, licensing, housing, school admission, etc.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Anyone apprehended for a crime in Hawaii County will typically have the resulting record remain a part of their criminal history forever. However, an individual may qualify to conceal this record from public review under Hawaii's laws through a process called "expungement".

Expunge Hawaii County Arrest Records

An expungement in Hawaii County is a legal procedure that removes an arrest record from the statewide central repository (and the arresting agency if the arrest resulted in a non-conviction). This procedure is particular to adult criminal history record information; individuals interested in expunging a juvenile arrest or charge should contact the Family Court at (808) 954-8144 instead.

The Hawaii State Department of the Attorney General handles expungements of adult arrest records in Hawaii County through its Criminal Justice Data Center. To apply to the agency, one must be eligible under HRS § 831-3.2.

The applicant must primarily be someone who was arrested for or charged with a crime but not convicted. However, certain situations can disqualify an individual from seeking an expungement for a non-conviction arrest, such as if the arrest was for a felony or misdemeanor and a conviction has not been obtained because of bail forfeiture or where a conviction has not been obtained because the defendant rendered prosecution impossible by being absent from the jurisdiction. Other disqualifying arrests are outlined in HRS § 831-3.2.

An expungement application can be delivered to the HCJDC in person or by mail. A first-time expungement costs $35, while a non-first-time expungement costs $50. The expungement fee includes a non-refundable $10 processing fee, payable by cashier's check or money order to the "State of Hawaii".

In-person requests are made at the HCJDC's office at 465 South King Street. The form and payment should be enclosed in a sealed envelope and placed in the drop box at Room 12 (at the front counter). Meanwhile, mail-in applications should include the completed form and payment to be sent to the following address:

Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center
Expungement Section
465 South King Street
Room 102
Honolulu, HI 96813

It is essential to note a few things about Hawaii's expungement process for adult criminal records:

• An expungement can take up to 120 days to complete (about four months). There is no expedited service.
• If the request is approved, the applicant will receive a certificate by mail stating which arrests were expunged. However, if the application is denied, the expungement fee, excluding the non-refundable $10 processing fee, will be returned to the applicant.
• An expungement does not seal or remove court records in Hawaii County. A separate process is needed to seal court records from the general public's access.
• Arrest records expunged from a person's criminal history are confidential. However, such records are not permanently destroyed; they remain accessible to the following entities:
  • A court of law or agency preparing a presentence investigation for a court proceeding
  • A law enforcement agency for official purposes
  • A federal or state agency considering the subject of the expunged record for a position directly affecting state or national security
• A court may grant an order expunging the conviction of certain qualifying offenses. However, while conviction information will be removed from the statewide repository of adult criminal history records, such records may still exist at an arresting agency and the court system. If applying to the HCJDC to expunge conviction information, the court order must be attached to the expungement application.

The HCJDC answers frequently asked questions about Hawaii expungements on its website. Individuals requiring additional information can contact the AG's Expungement Section at (808) 587-3348.

Hawaii County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a written order commanding police officers to apprehend someone accused of committing a crime and bring them to court. It can also be issued to arrest an individual who failed to obey a court order, failed to appear in court, or was indicted for an offense by a grand jury (in such cases, the warrant is referred to as a "bench warrant" or body attachment).

In Hawaii County, a judge may issue a warrant of arrest upon a law enforcement officer's request. Per Rule 3 of the Hawai'i Rules of Penal Procedure, the application can be made as an affidavit, declaration, information supported by a declaration/affidavit, or complaint supported by a declaration/affidavit. However, it must contain sufficient grounds ("probable cause") to believe that the named person committed the alleged offense. If the judge is satisfied probable cause exists, the official will release the warrant of arrest.

Arrest warrants in Hawaii County typically reveal the full name and age of the person to be arrested, the jurisdiction of issue, and the alleged charge/offense.

Hawaii County Arrest Warrant Search

To find active warrants in Hawaii County, a person can contact or visit the Hawaii Police Department at (808) 935-3311 or 349 Kapi'olani Street, Hilo, Hawai'i 96720.

One may also search court records to ascertain if a warrant was issued for a case by accessing eCourt Kokua or visiting the courthouse where the case is open. The usual criterion for a court records search is a case participant's name or case number.

Do Hawaii County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Hawaii statutes do not impose a timeline for the expiration of an arrest warrant in Hawaii County. These warrants typically remain in effect until deemed "executed" by the accused's arrest. This arrest may occur after a pursuit, at a traffic stop, at the accused's home or office, or upon the accused's voluntary surrender.