Kalawao County Police Records

Kalawao County police records are held by state agencies, not a local county office, because Kalawao County has no local government infrastructure of its own. The Hawaii State Sheriff Division provides all law enforcement for the county, and criminal history records flow through the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center just as they do for every other part of the state. This page walks you through how to find police records connected to Kalawao County, which offices to contact, what fees apply, and what laws govern access to those records.

What Makes Kalawao County Unique

Kalawao County is the smallest county in the United States by population. The 2020 census counted about 82 residents. It sits on a remote peninsula on the north shore of Molokai, cut off from the rest of the island by sea cliffs that rise more than 1,600 feet. Access to the peninsula is tightly restricted. You need a permit to visit, and commercial tourism is not permitted. Most people who live there are patients or caretakers at the Kalaupapa Settlement, which the Hawaii Department of Health administers.

The county was established in 1905. It has county legal status under state law, but it has no functioning county government in the traditional sense. There is no county mayor, no county council, no county police force, and no county courthouse. All services that a county government would normally provide are handled instead by state agencies. This is not a temporary gap in services. It is simply how Kalawao County works.

Kalaupapa National Historical Park occupies part of the county. The National Park Service coordinates with state agencies on matters affecting the area. The Hawaii Department of Health at the Maui District Health Office handles many administrative and public health functions for the settlement. For law enforcement matters, you deal with the Hawaii State Sheriff Division, not a county department.

Crime statistics for Kalawao County are rarely reported as a separate category. The population is so small that any incident data would identify individuals. State and federal agencies treat this data carefully as a result.

Note: If you are looking for records tied to Kalawao County, expect to contact state-level offices rather than any local county agency.

Law Enforcement in Kalawao County

There is no local police department in Kalawao County. There never has been. The Hawaii State Sheriff Division fills that role. Sheriff deputies hold statewide police powers under Hawaii law, and they serve as the primary law enforcement presence for areas that do not have a county department. Kalawao County is the clearest example of this in the state.

The Sheriff Division is part of the Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement. The main office is at 715 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813. You can reach the division through the Sheriff Division page on the Department of Law Enforcement's website. Deputies coordinate with the National Park Service at Kalaupapa when matters overlap between state jurisdiction and federal park boundaries. For questions about specific incidents or law enforcement matters tied to the county, the Sheriff Division is the right starting point.

The Hawaii State Sheriff Division handles court security, prisoner transport, and law enforcement in areas not served by a county police department. This is true across the state, but it is especially relevant in Kalawao County where there is simply no other law enforcement option.

The Sheriff Division is the sole law enforcement agency serving Kalawao County, making it the primary contact point for any police records questions related to incidents in the area.

You may also contact the Maui District Health Office at (808) 586-4412 for administrative questions about the Kalaupapa Settlement. The Hawaii Department of Health administers day-to-day operations at Kalaupapa, so some inquiries that touch on public safety at the settlement go through that office. For law enforcement records specifically, though, the Sheriff Division is the right agency to contact.

Note: The Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement also processes UIPA records requests for documents held by the Sheriff Division at the same 715 South King Street address.

Accessing Kalawao County Police Records Through State Agencies

Because Kalawao County has no local records office, all requests for police records connected to the county go to state agencies. The route you take depends on what kind of record you need. Incident reports from law enforcement activity in the county would be held by the Sheriff Division. Criminal history and conviction records go through the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center. Court records are at the Second Circuit Court in Wailuku.

For incident reports or other documents generated by the Sheriff Division, you file a written request under Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act. The UIPA request page at the Department of Law Enforcement explains what to include. Your request must be in writing and should describe the record you want as specifically as you can. Include your name, contact information, and a preferred format for the response. The agency has 10 business days to respond.

Most records tied to Kalawao County are state records rather than county records. This matters because it means there is no separate county records custodian to deal with. Every request goes to a state office. The process is actually more straightforward in some ways because you do not have to guess which county office to contact. The answer is almost always the Sheriff Division, the HCJDC, or the Second Circuit Court, depending on what you are after.

Note: Requests for records from the Hawaii Department of Health about the Kalaupapa Settlement follow the same UIPA process and should be directed to the Department of Health's records office in Honolulu.

Criminal History Checks for Kalawao County Police Records

The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center handles criminal history records for the entire state, including Kalawao County. Any arrest made in Kalawao County by a Sheriff deputy that resulted in a conviction will appear in the HCJDC system. The HCJDC is part of the Department of the Attorney General and is the most complete source for Hawaii criminal history data.

The eCrim online system lets you search adult criminal conviction records at any time. You search by name, date of birth, social security number, and sex. Each unique name search costs $5. A printed eCrim report runs $12. The system only returns conviction data. Arrests that did not result in a conviction do not appear in eCrim. A result of "No Criminal Convictions Found" is a valid and complete answer. It does not mean no arrests happened; it means no convictions are on file for that search.

The HCJDC criminal history records check page describes all available check types. Name-based checks use identifying information to search the database. Fingerprint-based checks are more reliable because they match the physical record to a specific person regardless of name variations. Fingerprint checks cost more but eliminate false matches. Both options are available through HCJDC.

For in-person checks, the nearest public access site to Kalawao County is the Maui County Police Department at 55 Mahalani Street, Wailuku, HI 96793. The fee is $25 per printout. Bring the subject's full name, date of birth, social security number, and sex. Cash is not accepted. Use a credit card, debit card, money order, or cashier's check.

The HCJDC also processes criminal history checks for individuals who want to review their own record. This is called an Access and Review request. If you find errors in your record, you can challenge them through the same office. The HCJDC also handles expungements for eligible arrests under HRS Section 831-3.2.

The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center is the starting point for any criminal history check tied to Kalawao County.

The HCJDC serves as the central access point for all Hawaii criminal history records, including those originating from arrests in Kalawao County, and processes both public conviction searches and official background check requests.

Note: HCJDC records are Hawaii-only. Arrests or convictions from other states and federal courts do not appear in these checks.

Court Records for Kalawao County

Kalawao County falls under the jurisdiction of the Second Circuit Court, which is based in Maui County. The court is at 2145 Main Street, Wailuku, HI 96793. Physical records for cases connected to Kalawao County are kept there. The court covers both Maui County and Kalawao County, so any criminal case originating from an arrest in Kalawao County would be processed through this court.

For local matters, the Moloka'i District Court handles district-level cases. You can reach that office at (808) 553-1100. District court handles lower-level criminal matters and traffic cases. Circuit court handles felonies and more serious criminal cases.

The Hawaii State Judiciary runs the eCourt Kokua online search system, which is free and available around the clock. You can access it through the Hawaii State Judiciary website. Search by party name or case number. Results show charges, hearing dates, case status, and judgments. Some records may be sealed by court order and will not appear in the public search. The Ho'ohiki system on the same site lets you save searches and set up notifications if you create an account.

For certified copies of court documents, you contact the clerk's office at the Second Circuit Court directly. Certified copies require a separate request and a fee. If you go in person, bring identification. Written requests by mail are also accepted. Call the court to confirm current fees before you send a request.

Note: All Kalawao County criminal court records are processed through the Second Circuit Court in Wailuku, not through any office physically located in Kalawao County.

Inmate and Detention Information for Kalawao County

Hawaii has no county jails in the traditional sense. The state runs all correctional facilities through the Department of Public Safety. Anyone arrested in Kalawao County by Sheriff deputies would be transported off the peninsula and processed through the state corrections system, most likely Maui Community Correctional Center at 600 Waiale Road, Wailuku, HI 96793, phone (808) 243-5900, which is the facility nearest to Molokai and Kalawao County.

The Hawaii Department of Public Safety website hosts the offender database for state correctional facilities. You can search by name or ID number to check custody status, current facility, and projected release. For questions about a specific person in custody, contact the relevant facility directly. The Department of Public Safety also oversees the Sheriff Division, which handles prisoner transport statewide.

Given the extremely small population of Kalawao County, detention events tied specifically to the county are rare. The access restrictions on the peninsula mean that outside visitors are limited, and the residents are largely patients and caretakers at the Kalaupapa Settlement. Still, the state systems and processes described here apply fully to Kalawao County if a detention event does occur.

Note: Hawaii does not have traditional county sheriffs or county jails. All detention in the state runs through the Department of Public Safety's correctional facilities.

Hawaii Public Records Laws Applied to Kalawao County Police Records

Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act, known as UIPA, governs public access to government records across the state. It is codified at HRS Chapter 92F. Because all records connected to Kalawao County are held by state agencies, UIPA applies to every records request you make. There is no separate county records law here because there is no county government to apply it.

Under UIPA, state agencies must respond to written records requests within 10 business days. Section 92F-12 requires disclosure unless an exemption applies. Section 92F-13 lists those exemptions. They include records that could invade personal privacy, interfere with active investigations, or identify confidential sources. If an agency denies your request, you can appeal to the Office of Information Practices.

Criminal history records have their own governing statute. HRS Chapter 846 sets the rules for who can see what kind of criminal record. Under HRS Section 846-9, conviction information is public and can be shared without restriction. Non-conviction records are confidential and are not available to the general public. The HCJDC enforces these rules statewide, including for any records tied to Kalawao County.

The Office of Information Practices is at 250 South Hotel Street, Suite 107, Honolulu, HI 96813, phone (808) 586-1400. OIP handles UIPA appeals, issues formal opinions on records disputes, and provides guidance to both agencies and the public. If a state agency denies your records request and you believe the denial was wrong, OIP is where you file a complaint.

To submit a UIPA request to the Department of Law Enforcement for records held by the Sheriff Division, use the UIPA request form on the department's website. Include your name, contact details, a clear description of the records you want, and your preferred delivery format. Be as specific as possible about dates, locations, and types of documents. Vague requests take longer to process.

Unauthorized disclosure of criminal history data is a criminal offense under Hawaii law. Agencies take this seriously. If you receive criminal history records through HCJDC or other state channels, you are responsible for using them only in ways the law permits. Using them to screen job applicants or tenants outside of authorized channels can expose you to legal liability.

Note: UIPA requests sent to state agencies covering Kalawao County follow the standard 10-business-day response window, the same as requests to any other Hawaii state office.

Other Hawaii Counties

Police records in other Hawaii counties are handled by local county police departments. Each county has its own records process and contact information.