Kaua’i County Council passes resolution urging state to restore pre-2012 pension eligibility for police, firefighters

The Kauaʻi County Council unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday that urges state lawmakers to restore full pension eligibility after 25 years of credited service for police officers and firefighters, regardless of their age, to address persistent staffing shortages.

The resolution requests the Hawaiʻi State Legislature to amend the Employees’ Retirement System law, which was changed by Act 163 to create a new retirement tier for employees hired on or after July 1, 2012.

To receive unreduced retirement benefits, those hired after that date would have to be at least 55 years old with 25 years of credited service or at least 60 years old with at least 10 years of credited service, “resulting in a more restrictive set of eligibility conditions than those applicable to pre-2012 hires,” the resolution said.

Council Chair Mel Rapozo introduced the resolution, saying, “Back in 2012, there were lines and people were denied seats in the recruit class because we had more candidates than positions. … I don’t have to convince anyone that we have a shortage of officers. We have an issue with recruiting and retention.”

Police officials reported 30 sworn officer vacancies as of July 8, 2025 — about an 18% vacancy rate — while applicant numbers for police positions dropped roughly 40% between 2017 and 2021.

Tiana Victorino, public information officer with the Kaua’i Police Department, noted that the June 2025 graduating class had three recruits, and the January 2026 class will have four.

That barely makes up for the six officers that have left the department so far in 2025.

Mark Ozaki, deputy chief of the Kaua’i Police Department, told the council the department was in “full support” of the resolution.

“There are so many examples on why this is a crucial recruiting tool,” Ozaki said. “We have several people inquire, retired from the military and then they find out: ‘Oh, I have to work this much more years before I can qualify for the retirement.'”

Rapozo added that statewide police unions have long argued that changes enacted in 2011 hurt hiring.

“The resolution was presented to the legislature last year, but it didn’t go anywhere,” he said.

Rapozo said the change is necessary because “we are running out of police officers.”

The average age of a retired military veteran who enlisted at 18 is now 38 years old.

“We just found out yesterday that we are losing an officer to the feds,” Ozaki said. “If he stayed at KPD he would have to work probably another 30 years to qualify due to his age and his years of service, but if he leaves now and starts a brand new career with the federal law enforcement, in 20 years he’ll have a full pension.

“So it makes sense for these young officers to look for other options, and it’s very difficult to recruit when they have other options and are very knowledgeable about what’s going on.”

The State of Hawaiʻi Organization of Police Officers testified during the 2023 legislative session that the newer retirement structure has discouraged applicants and contributed to staffing shortages across county police departments.

Kauaʻi Assistant Chief Makana Rivera said that he joined the force prior to 2012 and has witnessed the drop in recruitment in the last 10 years.

“In my class, there were 13 in the academy,” Rivera said. “We saw others in excess of 10, so our numbers have dramatically declined. Currently, we are averaging probably about four per academy, some as low as two, so it’s been pretty bad.”

Captain Stacy Perreira joined the force at age 35, in a graduating class of nine cadets.

“Coming in at 35, and I thank God every day that I don’t have to stay 30 years,” she said. “If I came in at 35, having to do 30 years plus age, that’s a tough thing to swallow. I probably wouldn’t have done it. It would have deterred me.”

Perreira said she has a “sister-in-law working for TSA, and she only has to do 20 years.”

In its resolution, the council said restoring the earlier retirement eligibility would help make public safety careers more competitive, reduce vacancies and encourage long-term retention. The council also urged lawmakers to revisit Act 163 to ensure retirement benefits support public safety.

Kaua’i Councilmember Felicia Cowden said she is supporting the resolution because “we have to do whatever we can to take care of our police department. It’s essential. It’s a difficult job.

“We really need to be able to have more people to come and be happy because in the police department, they’re heroes to some, but they really are in the crossfire.”

Rapozo said the current restrictions are the reason “why the military guy, the veteran who’s disciplined and ready to go, is going somewhere else because it makes no sense to come here and work until they’re 65 years old to collect a 20-year pension.”

Rapozo added: “These are unintended consequences; the legislature did this strictly to save money, not realizing the consequences were going to hurt us in the long run. See, the state of Hawaiʻi doesn’t pay for police officers, the counties do; they don’t pay for fire departments, the counties do.”

Certified copies of the resolution will be sent to Gov. Josh Green, legislative leaders, key Senate and House committees, the Employees’ Retirement System board, police and firefighter unions, and the chiefs of the Kauaʻi Police and Fire departments.

“I am hoping we can reach out to our colleagues across the state and get this introduced and passed at every single county so we can get this in front of the legislature,” Rapozo said.