Incidents of violent crime in Waikiki have again raised concern — not only for safety in the district, but also its reputation for safety. Both are important. Waikiki draws the majority of the state’s tourists, and Waikiki also generates a notable share of Hawaii’s economic activity.

So when on Jan. 6, on Lewers Street at 10:15 p.m., a 25-year-old Oahu man was shot multiple times, a Waikiki Neighborhood Board representative reacted strongly, calling the crime “unacceptable” and renewing calls for more police officers on the streets. Lewers Street near Kalakaua Avenue — where fights, robberies and assaults are a repeated occurrence — is an area of particular concern for those wary of Waikiki’s dangers.

But high-profile crimes aren’t confined to Lewers Street. On Dec. 27, a 17-year-old boy threatened and robbed a group of hotel workers at 6:15 a.m. on Paokalani Avenue and Lemon Road, firing a handgun into the ground and taking a gold chain from one. The teen was caught, and charged with first-degree robbery; he was also charged with terroristic threatening — having confronted a custodian earlier that morning after entering a building on Kapahulu Avenue with others, and urinating in the elevator.

The Honolulu Police Department’s Crime Map for Waikiki from Jan. 10 through Jan. 16 shows incidences of arson, assault, burglary, homicide, sex crimes and vandalism in that seven-day period, along with drug and alcohol violations, vehicle thefts and break-ins and disturbing the peace .

At a Waikiki Neighborhood Board meeting on Jan. 10, a suggestion was made that the district was so dangerous that Hawaii might need to call out the National Guard. City Council Chairman Tommy Waters said he “loved ” the idea and would discuss it with Mayor Rick Blangiardi; however, Blangiardi later called the idea a “nonstarter.”

The mayor is right. While the physical presence of police officers on foot in crime-vulnerable hot spots would be a deterrent to criminal behavior, flooding Waikiki with cops or military personnel is a bad idea — as likely to leave visitors thinking Waikiki is a danger zone as to make anyone feel safe.

What is called for is fine-tuning Safe and Sound, the newly implemented program to weed out crime in Waikiki and seed a more healthy, cooperative and peaceful tourist mecca.

The cooperative program brings together business organizations, the Honolulu Police Department, Honolulu’s prosecutor and the judiciary in an effort to penalize and deter illegal activity. Up and running for four months, it covers a zone that extends beyond the HPD’s Waikiki district, from the Ala Wai Boat Harbor to Diamond Head State Monument.

Launched in September 2022, Safe and Sound is still in a building stage. It holds much promise for crime reduction in Waikiki, if members of the community remain closely involved, as they are expected to, keeping police, city prosecutors and social service providers informed with specific details on what they observe: where problems occur, who is involved and what will help.

The city has dedicated about $250,000 to Safe and Sound, said Prosecutor Steve Alm when it launched last September. And about $100,000 in support from Hawaii’s Kosasa Foundation was pledged to fund social services.

A director must be hired, and funding for additional police foot patrols must be channeled to HPD. Police must intervene where crime is concentrated, and HPD’s weekly crime reports can be used to gauge whether the work is effective.

If unsuccessful, intensified efforts and more targeted action will be required.

Safe and Sound has already resulted in increased arrests, as planned. It is only beginning to implement the second part of its program: intervention and social services. Here, too, there will be hurdles to cross and costs to be met.

As the program progresses, Safe and Sound must be transparent about its methods and results, fine-tuning operations to deliver a safer, more stable Waikiki.