HONOLULU (Island News) — The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) is taking a step into the future by exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to help streamline reporting and internal operations.
HPD said the move is part of a broader effort to modernize how officers work, improving accuracy, efficiency and consistency while maintaining strict human oversight.
According to HPD’s Information Technology Division, the department is researching several AI tools that could help with report writing and organization.
“Chief Vanic is very forward-thinking and he asked us to explore what advances in artificial intelligence were being used by other departments or other locations to make officers more efficient in preparing reports, among other things,” said Lt. Joseph O’Neal of HPD’s IT division.
This efficiency could translate into faster turnaround times and getting officers back on the road more quickly.
“Some of these technologies I’ve seen could reduce the time it takes to complete certain types of reports, which would allow an officer to get on the road more quickly after typing a report,” O’Neal said.
HPD has already been using AI internally for almost two years, primarily for coding and data work. The department said expanding this technology to directly help officers would require rigorous testing and safeguards.
“Protecting people’s personal information is of the utmost importance,” O’Neal added. “We would never put this at risk by using AI that is not completely safe. That is why until now we have focused largely on on-site AI.”
The City and County of Honolulu also supports the responsible use of automation and AI. It already uses digital tools to speed up services such as building permits, park utility payments and public website functions.
“AI has the potential to be a force multiplier for us,” said Ian Scheuring of the city’s communications department. “This allows our employees to do additional work and serve the public in ways we may not even realize yet.”
HPD and city officials emphasize that AI does not replace people, but aims to improve human work, not eliminate it.
“It’s about increasing bandwidth, not reducing headcount,” Scheuring said. “The goal is to improve capabilities and free up people to do more meaningful work. »
HPD said testing will continue into early next year. If all goes well, a pilot program could be launched in spring 2026.
