Ask the Mayor: Why Can Police Reports Only be Picked Up in Wailuku?

Kīhei Police Station. Photo by Wendy Osher.

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the most-asked questions submitted to his office staff.

Mayor Arakawa:

Q: An incident at our Kīhei condominium required the police to be called. An officer responded, detained the suspect and eventually arrested him and took him away. Calling the new Kīhei police station, we were informed that copies of the police report could only be obtained at the main station in Wailuku.

Why is this?  It would seem the report could be available at the Kīhei station as it was an incident in Kīhei. Would a person in Lahaina or Hāna have to drive in to Wailuku to get a copy of a police report for an incident originating in their town? Couldn’t an email with the report attached be sent if the local station can’t or won’t provide a copy?

A: According to the Maui Police Department, the Wailuku station is the central depository for all police reports in Maui County and the Wailuku station is the only location to obtain a copy of your report. Also when I say “your report,” know that a person can only obtain a report if it directly involves him or her, and in most cases, that means one of two parties—the victim and the alleged offender.

Even if you are a suspect, witness or person of interest in the case, you are not entitled to a report. The only exceptions are parents or guardians with the proper paperwork. Also, if a person is not able to pick up a report in person, they may send a written request with a copy of their valid photo identification and a self-addressed envelope to the Records Section of MPD.

The police department does not send police reports via email because of the lack of network security in place for home computer system, which, they point out, goes through unsecured networks.

For more information, call the Maui Police Records and Identification Section at 244-6355.

Want to Ask the Mayor?

Submit your questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa via email at [email protected], by phone at 270-7855 or by mail to 200 S. High St., 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the Ask the Mayor column.