New partnership between Big Island police, UH-Hilo supports continuing education of law enforcement officers throughout state

Hawai‘i Police Department and University of Hawai‘i at Hilo on Aug. 9 announced a new partnership that will make it easier for law enforcement officers throughout the state to further their education.

A new program launches this fall that provides a streamlined — and available online — pathway for officers to earn a bachelor of arts degree in adminsistration of justice through the College of Arts and Sciences at the Hilo campus.

“This program offers our officers the opportunity to enhance their knowledge, strengthen their professional skills and expand their perspectives, all of which contribute to better service for our communities,” said Acting Hawai‘i Police Department Chief Reed Mahuna in a release announcing the new program. “A well-educated officer is a better-prepared officer, and this partnership helps make that possible.”

Administration of Justice Program courses also will be offered online, allowing officers to continue serving their communities full-time while advancing their education alongside a dedicated cohort of fellow law enforcement professionals.

The program is open to officers statewide, and applications for the fall 2025 semester are still being accepted.

Deadline to apply for this fall’s cohort is Aug. 15. Applications for the 2026 spring semester are due Dec. 1.

Hawai‘i County Mayor Kimo Alameda praised the initiative.

“When the university state system can come together with the county police officers to bridge a gap in higher education, that’s incredible — because for every police officer who gets a degree in higher education, that improves their quality of life, their self-esteem,” said Alameda in the announcement release. “And that has ripple effects to their family and, ultimately, the community.”

The inaugural cohort already includes 10 students, representing Hawai‘i Police Department, Honolulu Police Department and state law enforcement officers with Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement.

University of Hawai‘i at Hilo’s program is unique — it’s the only standalone administration of justice bachelor’s degree program in the University of Hawai‘i system.

It is designed to build upon officers’ existing skills and provide a deeper understanding of the legal system, criminal justice processes and community relations.

Adminitration of Justice Program Chairwoman Katherine Young thinks the collaboration empowers officers to build upon their knowledge and skills and further excel in their existing roles.

“We really want to be there for our law enforcement partners to develop workforce readiness, and we see that as beneficial, not just to our law enforcement partners, but to our [administration of justice] students and our communities,” Young said in the announcement release. “That educational enrichment is beneficial to everyone involved.”

The new partnership between Hawai‘i Police Department and University of Hawai‘i at Hilo marks a significant step forward in strengthening the relationship between the local university and law enforcement.

“It’s the first of what I hope will be many workforce partnerships here on Hawaiʻi Island with the county and various sectors of our economy,” said University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Chancellor Bonnie Irwin in the announcement release.

Irwin met with program students Saturday morning during orientation.

“We know that you’re ready, and we’re going to give you at [University of Hawai‘i at Hilo] all the support you need to be successful students and then soon graduates of this program,” she told the students.

The motivation to enroll for many of the program’s first students is inspired by their desire to give back to the communities they love with a better understanding of current laws and the judicial system.

“As a patrol officer right now, sometimes there are questions of, ‘What’s the best way to do this? Or, you know, what does case law say? How can I go about this in the best approach?’” said Hawai‘i Police Department Officer Ryan Barrett, who is a member of the inaugural cohort, in the announcement release. “I think using these next couple of years to get a degree in administration of justice will help me better equip myself to better help the community.”

This new partnership also reflects Hawai‘i Police Department’s ongoing commitment to professional development, officer wellness and community service.

Working closely with University of Hawai‘i at Hilo means the department can ensure police officers on the Big Island — and now throughout the islands — have access to the tools, resources and education they need to meet the evolving demands of modern policing.

University leadership says it’s just the beginning.

“[University of Hawai‘i at Hilo] is not only a university for Hawaiʻi Island, it is the University of Hawaiʻi Island,” Irwin said in the announcement release. “And so to have these kinds of community partnerships is demonstrating to our broader community that you created us, and we are here to serve you, and that can take all kinds of different forms as we move forward.”

Contact Young via email at youngkat@hawaii.edu to apply or learn more about the new Administration of Justice Program.