Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
How to become a police officer in Hawaii
- Certification
- None in force yet. Board certification under HRS §139-6(b) starts July 1, 2028 (Act 107, SLH 2026)
- Minimum age
- No statewide minimum in force. The LESB draft rule (§XX-2-2(a)(1), draft of 5/12/2025, not adopted) proposes 21. Each county police department sets its own age today.
- Disqualifiers
- No statewide disqualifiers in force. Draft §XX-2-2(a)(8) and §XX-2-4(c) (not adopted) propose: any felony; a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; termination for dishonesty, excessive force or civil-rights misconduct; falsifying the application; and a prior decertification. Federal firearm bars (such as a domestic-violence misdemeanor) apply through agency hiring.
- Basic academy
- No statewide basic course or hour minimum. HRS §139-6(a) requires a board-approved basic program plus training to minimize excessive force (de-escalation, crisis intervention, mental health response, implicit bias, first aid) for people appointed after June 30, 2028. The board is still procuring a job task analysis (July 2026) to set the curriculum. Each county police department and the Department of Law Enforcement run their own academies.
- State exam
- None required
- Officers from other states
- None in force. From July 1, 2028 the board may certify officers who finished an equivalent program in another jurisdiction (HRS §139-6(b) as amended). Draft §XX-2-7 (not adopted) proposes an equivalency review, supplemental training, and a 6-month conditional certification.
Status as of 2026-10-02: Hawaii has no statewide peace-officer certification in force. HRS ch. 139 created the LESB, but Act 107 (SLH 2026, signed June 8, 2026) moved the deadline from 2026 to 2028. No person may be appointed as a law enforcement officer after June 30, 2028 without board certification, and the board starts issuing certifications July 1, 2028. Covered employers under §139-7(a): county police departments, Department of Law Enforcement (state deputy sheriffs and state LEOs), DLNR, Department of Taxation, and the Attorney General. Hawaii has no state highway patrol. The HAR rules are still drafts. The 2025 drafts carry 'Eff. 7/1/26' and incumbent dates (December 31, 2027) that Act 107 has overtaken. LESB minutes of July 9, 2026 say the board now has two years to build the system, including the rules. No officers are certified yet; the board plans provisional certification of incumbents once a records system is in place. No statewide hiring or training standard is in force yet. Until 2028 the county departments set hiring and training standards; for example, Honolulu PD requires age 21, a HS diploma or GED, and a valid driver's license (joinhonolulupd.org). Those are agency rules, not state rules. The adoption date of the rules and the final standard values are not yet set.
Source: State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Pay in Hawaii, all employers Sourced
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in Hawaii, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | HI |
|---|---|
| Workers | 2,420 |
| 10th percentile | $77,480 |
| Median | $83,820 |
| 90th percentile | $108,110 |
| National median, government employers | $76,300 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pension in Hawaii
Local employees: Local police and firefighters
| Plan | Accrual | Normal retirement | Employee pays | Social Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii ERS Contributory Plan - Police Officers, Firefighters and Designated Categories (membership after June 30, 2012) Contributory police/fire, membership after June 30, 2012 | 2.25% | age 60 with 10 years | 14.2% | Not stated |
The statewide plan a new hire usually joins. Some cities and counties run their own plans; check with the employer. Each plan's formula, vesting, cost-of-living adjustment and retiree health are on the Hawaii pension plans list.
Source: State retirement systems, Official state retirement system pages, member handbooks and statutes. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Employers in Hawaii
4 police departments in Hawaii.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer — law-enforcement agencies by state (API). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Hawaii
Hawaii POST Peace Officer Certification ExamHawaii exam · free on Open Exam Prep- IPMA-HR / PSHRA Entry-Level Police Officer Test (PO-EL)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Law Enforcement Aptitude Battery (LEAB)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- National Criminal Justice Officer Selection Inventory (NCJOSI-3)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- National Police Officer Selection Test (POST)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NTN FrontLine National - Law Enforcement ExamPractice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Police Aptitude and Character Test (PACT)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Police Officer page.
Police Officer in other states
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Hawaii government jobs · Hawaii public pension plans · police officer standards in Hawaii · exam practice in Hawaii