With more than 100 patrol cars on backorder, HPD officers report delays getting on the road

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - HPD has been waiting years for backordered patrol vehicles to arrive — and now some say the situation is beginning to impact officers’ work.

HPD currently has about 400 vehicles but the numbers are dropping every year because replenishing the fleet has stalled. More than 100 have been ordered since 2021, Hawaii News Now has learned, not one of those has been delivered.

Records provided by the department show the last shipment to arrive was part of the 2020 request. HPD asked for 30 cars that year; 28 arrived nearly three years later.

Dustin DeRollo, spokesman for the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, called the situation “concerning. The union representing police officers said squad cars are crucial to public safety. “Without police cars, our officers cannot be out patrolling our neighborhoods,” he said.

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Part of the issue stems from pandemic closures that forced factories to halt production.

In 2021, the department wanted to purchase 65 vehicles. Not one of those has been received from the seller. In 2022, HPD tried to buy 30 cars and the agency is still waiting for the order to be filled.

And then last year, HPD put in for 40 vehicles but the request is still currently out for bid.

This year, the department wants 50 new cars, 25 have been approved for purchase but the Budget and Fiscal Services Office is still reviewing the request.

Retired HPD Deputy Chief John McCarthy said supply issues are behind much of the delay.

But as HPD waits for new cars to arrive, patrol vehicles are going down nearly every day for maintenance, repairs or because of accidents. McCarthy said police vehicles are pushed to the limit, being used for multiple shifts and forced to accelerate then stop suddenly.

Once cars do arrive, it’s still weeks more before they are street ready. “They still need lights, radios and computers installed,” McCarthy said. Plus, HPD decals also need to be added.

Officers in several Honolulu districts are now reporting delays getting on the road to start shifts because of vehicle shortages. DeRollo said the issue needs to be a priority before it impacts response times. “If we run out of vehicles, it’s going to have major impacts,” he said.

HPD declined an interview for the story, but a spokesperson says subsidized private vehicles help but can’t replace patrol cars, which are needed to transport prisoners along with for visibility and other reasons. Subsidized vehicles are allowed for some officers based on seniority and rank.

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