Overt video monitoring at city-owned parks prone to high crime is envisioned under a new Honolulu City Council resolution.
The Council is scheduled to hold a first reading today on Resolution 128, which seeks to authorize the use of video surveillance at Oahu’s public parks in order to deter crime and to provide “a safe environment for city residents, visitors and employees.”
Introduced in April by Council member Radiant Cordero, the legislation says Honolulu Police Department and other city agencies “are currently utilizing video surveillance cameras and installing additional video surveillance cameras at various locations within the city, including but not limited to Waikiki, downtown Honolulu, East Oahu, and west side city parks.”
The resolution further seeks to quell violent crimes at city parks.
“There are multiple reports of violent crimes occurring in parks operated by the Department of Parks and Recreation, the most recent being reports of gunfire on April 20, 2025, at Ala Moana Regional Park, which is one of the busiest parks on Oahu and is frequently visited by tourists,” the legislation states.
Resolution 128 also underscores HPD’s vacancy
of over 400 police officer positions.
HPD “is currently dealing with a staffing shortage that would impact the department’s ability to maintain a physical presence at city parks in order to detect and deter criminal activity,” the legislation states.
To aid policing efforts, the resolution urges the city to implement “a one-year pilot program, in order to achieve the legitimate public purposes and legitimate law enforcement objectives … including the detection and deterrence of criminal activity and ensuring the safety and security of the general public and its property.”
It says the pilot program is authorized for “at least one city park per Council district, to be identified by the Council member assigned to that Council district based on a pattern of high criminal activity at or ongoing public safety concerns for the respective park.”
It claims “overt video monitoring devices authorized under this resolution must be overt and clearly visible, with appropriate public signage to inform the public as set forth pursuant to (city laws).”
On Tuesday, Cordero — whose Council District 7 spans Kalihi Kai to Waimalu Kai — told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that her resolution “was prompted by a series of break-ins at one of my district parks, highlighting the urgent need for stronger security.”
“The need for video surveillance in Oahu’s city parks is driven by growing concerns over public safety and rising violent crimes,” she said. “Notable incidents include gunfire at Ala Moana Regional Park, two break-ins in a District 7 city park, and the recent fire at the Wahiawa District Park Playground.”
“By testing this approach through a pilot program, we can assess its effectiveness and make data-driven decisions for future expansion,” she added.
Cordero said the
projected cost of her park surveillance program was not determined.
HPD and “the director of Parks and Recreation, and the director of Information Technology are responsible for implementing the proposed pilot program — this includes determining the projected cost and allocating the necessary funding,” she said.
As Resolution 128 states, other city-operated video surveillance programs have been implemented around Oahu.
Among them is a $65,000 pilot project — to mount video cameras on at least four mobile security trailers to avert auto burglaries, thefts, vandalism and other crimes at popular scenic points in East Oahu — that HPD says effectively stalled in 2024.
In June the Council adopted Chair Tommy Waters’ Resolution 64.
As part of a project that began July 1, HPD rolled mobile video platforms — replete with flashing blue lights — to parking lots close to the Makapuu Point Lighthouse lookout, Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline trails, Halona Blowhole lookout and Lanai lookout, near the Koko Head Shooting Complex.
These lookout sites, commonly visited by tourists, are highly prone to property crimes, according to HPD.
But the Police Department’s cameras did not roll for long as vendor issues hampered the use of mobile security trailers, HPD claimed.
By November, police continued to work with the city Department of Budget and Fiscal Services on the project to select a vendor for the trailers. That search included a formal request for quotes that had gone out for offers.
But on Tuesday an HPD spokesperson told the Star-Advertiser that delays still persist in the mobile surveillance of East Oahu’s scenic spots.
“The status of the program is that it is waiting for BFS to select a vendor,” the spokesperson said. “No vendor has been selected at this time.”
Other obstacles to the program materialized as well.
“The first obstacle was that we needed a Honolulu City Council resolution to allow recording devices in a public area,” the spokesperson said. “The program then ran into a second obstacle when the first vendor was unable to satisfy the terms of the contract back in December.”
BFS then had issues putting a new contract out for bidding. “But that was resolved in April and hopefully, a vendor will be selected before the close of the fiscal year, June 30,” the spokesperson added.
The Council meeting begins at 10 a.m. inside City Council chambers, 530 S. King St.
