A pilot program that puts retired officers on Oʻahu school campuses is expanding on the island's west side, adding Nānākuli High and Intermediate School to the mix.
The School Resource Officer program, which launched in January, is a partnership between the Honolulu Police Department and the state Department of Education.
It stationed three retired Honolulu police officers at Kaimukī, Kapolei and Waiʻanae high schools during school hours. Program organizers said the intent was not to necessarily enforce rules, reduce crime or replace existing discipline systems, but rather to give students a reliable, safe adult at school and to build trust between them and first responders.
Moani Nahulu-Mahelona, the incoming principal at Nānākuli, was the vice principal at Kapolei High School last year, where she was able to observe the program for the second half of the school year.
“This partnership is about much more than security, it's about relationship building, bridge building and especially proactive support,” Nahulu-Mahelona said. “Their presence helps reinforce a sense of stability and care, allowing our teachers to focus on instruction and our haumana (students) to focus on achieving their potential.”
State DOE leaders said the Oʻahu program is an expansion of existing SRO programs on Maui, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island. They said these initiatives have created a stronger sense of safety and belonging among students.
Beyond serving as a mentor, the officers are also involved in education on each campus, including classroom visits, presentations on student safety and involvement in extracurricular activities and sports.
HPD Chief David Lazar said this program is personal to him as he was exposed to law enforcement officers when he attended public school.
“I remember officers being in the schools and having no father in the home — these officers were mentors to me,” Lazar said. “Whether it was in the schools or the programs that the department had, it kept me on track and it kept me out of trouble.”
Kapolei High School, one of the original Oʻahu schools chosen for the program, has a law enforcement career pathway established as part of the offered curriculum. Organizers said they hope the combination of the curriculum and the officer's presence can expand student's perspectives on pursuing a public service pathway.
The roughly $1 million project is funded by the City and County of Honolulu. It will continue into the 2026-2027 school year as a pilot program and will be assessed on its effectiveness and impact to gauge the possibility of making it a permanent program on Oʻahu.
