Video surveillance in public parks under reviews

Open video surveillance in parks in city ownership is susceptible to high crime as part of a new resolution of the city council of Honolulu.

Today, the Council is intended to hold a first reading in solution 128, in which the use of video surveillance in the OAHU public parks is to be approved in order to prevent crime and to create “a safe environment for the city, visitors and employees”.

The legislation was introduced in April by Council member Radiant Cordero, according to the Honolulu police authority and other city authorities who are currently using video surveillance cameras and install additional video surveillance cameras at various locations within the city, including but not limited to Waikiki, Downtown Honolulu, East Oahu and West City Parks. “

The resolution continues to try to suppress violent crimes in city parks.

“There are several reports of violent crimes in parks that are operated by the Ministry of Parks and Recreation. The recent reports on shots on April 20, 2025 in Ala Moana Regional Park, one of the most busy parks on Oahu and is often visited by tourists,” says legization.

Resolution 128 also underlines the vacancy of HPD of over 400 police officers.

HPD is currently dealing with a lack of personnel that would affect the ability of the department to maintain a physical presence in city parks in order to recognize and maintain criminal activities, “says legislation.

In order to support the police efforts, the solution calls on the city “to implement a one -year pilot program in order to achieve the legitimate public purposes and the legitimate goals of the law enforcement authorities … including the recognition and deterrent of criminal activities and the security of the public and its ownership.”

It is said that the pilot program is approved for “at least one city park per councilor, which is to be identified by the council member based on this council district based on a pattern of high criminal activities in or ongoing public security concerns for the respective park.”

It claims that “open and clearly visible video surveillance devices approved as part of this decision must be openly and clearly visible, with reasonable public signage to inform the public in accordance with (city law).

On Tuesday, Cordero-Dessen Rat District 7 in Kalihi Kai extended to Waimalu Kai, the Honolulu-Star advertiser that her resolution was triggered by a series of break-ins in one of my district parks and emphasized the urgent need for more security.

“The need for video surveillance in the city parks of Oahu are driven of growing concerns about public security and increasing violent crimes,” she said. “Remarkable incidents include shots in the Ala Moana Regional Park, two break-ins in a city park District 7 and the latest fire on the playground of the district of District Park in Wahiawa.”

“By testing this approach through a pilot program, we can evaluate its effectiveness and make data -controlled decisions for future expansion,” she added.

Cordero said the forecast costs of their park surveillance program were not set.

HPD and “The director of parks and relaxation as well as the director of information technology are responsible for the implementation of the proposed pilot program. This includes determining the projected costs and assigning the necessary funds,” she said.

In solution 128, other urban video surveillance programs in the area of ​​Oahu were implemented.

Among them is a 65,000 US dollar pilot project -at at least four mobile safety trailers to avert car cameras, thefts, vandalism and other crimes at popular picturesque points in East -Oahu -from which HPD came to a standstill in 2024.

In June, the council said goodbye to chairman Tommy Waters Resolution 64.

As part of a project that started on July 1, the HPD mobile video platforms – full of flashing blue lights – to parking lots near the Makapuu Point Lighthouse Lookout, Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline Trail, Halona Blowhole Lookout and Lanai Lookout, near the Koko Head, the Koko Head, the Koko Head, the Koko Head Shooting Complex.

According to the HPD, these viewpoints, which are often visited by tourists, are very susceptible to real estate crimes.

However, the cameras of the police authority did not roll as long as the provider hindered the use of mobile safety supporters, HPD claimed.

Until November, the police continued to work with the Ministry of Household and Fiskald Services for the project to select a provider for the trailers. This search contained a formal request for offers that had been assumed for offers.

On Tuesday, an HPD spokesman told the star deducter that delays still remain in the mobile monitoring of the picturesque positions of East Oahu.

“The status of the program is that it is waiting for BFS to choose a provider,” said the spokesman. “No provider was selected at this point.”

Other obstacles to the program also materialized.

“The first obstacle was that we needed a resolution of the city council of Honolulu to enable recording devices in a public area,” said the spokesman. “The program then met with a second obstacle when the first provider could not meet the contractual terms in December.”

BFS then had problems submitting a new contract for the offer. “But that was solved in April and hopefully a seller will be selected before the end of the financial year, June 30,” added the spokesman.

The council meeting begins at 10 a.m. in the city council chambers, 530 S. King St.