Honolulu Police Chief Achieves 35 of 37 Initial Goals

Chief David Lazar Completes 35 of 37 Benchmarks in Opening Months

Honolulu Police Chief David Lazar has hit the ground running, reporting to the Honolulu Police Commission on Wednesday that he successfully completed 35 of the 37 objectives established for his initial 90 days in office. Lazar, who assumed command of the department this past July, implemented a 30-60-90 day plan to address immediate operational needs, with a primary focus on department-wide recruitment and a comprehensive budget audit.

While the majority of his early initiatives have met their targets, the process has not been without friction, particularly regarding the deployment of personnel.

Chief Reallocates Officers to Patrol Duties

In September, the chief initiated a significant reallocation of resources, announcing plans to transition approximately 100 officers back into patrol duties. Lazar identified high overtime expenditures as the catalyst for this move, arguing that the department needed to prioritize frontline presence to manage costs more effectively. The decision immediately sparked concern from community stakeholders, who feared the loss of long-standing youth engagement programs, including the Police Activities League boxing program in Waiʻanae and the Junior Police Officer program.

Lazar responded to this public scrutiny by implementing adjustments to the original plan, aiming to balance fiscal responsibility with the maintenance of essential community programs.

Transitioning to a Strategic Vision

With the 90-day benchmarks largely behind him, the chief is now shifting his focus toward a long-term strategic plan. During his address to the commission, Lazar emphasized that his early goals were merely the foundation for a broader, more transparent departmental strategy. He expressed a desire to involve both the public and department members in the development of this roadmap.

Honolulu Police Chief David Lazar meets nearly all benchmarks in 30-60-90 day plan

I’m also not naive to the fact that even when the strategic plan we kick it off and I’m giving you updates and we’re figuring things out there, there’ll still be other ideas because technology is changing and policing is changing, and it’ll be a living document if we just keep going, but we’re off to a great start.

Despite the high rate of benchmark completion, several items remain on the department’s to-do list. The administration is still working to finalize a mentorship program for new recruits and is in the process of establishing an advisory forum intended to strengthen communication between the police and the residents they serve. Other future goals include expanding AI policies, hiring on-call physical therapists to support officer wellness, and increasing fundraising efforts through the Honolulu Police Community Foundation.

Police Commission Expresses Satisfaction with Performance

The Honolulu Police Commission, which serves as the primary oversight body for the department, expressed satisfaction with the chief’s performance thus far. Chair Laurie Foster noted that the commission is encouraged by the progress. “While there is still important work ahead, these early accomplishments reflect a positive start, and we look forward to seeing that momentum continue as he works to strengthen the department and better serve our community,” Foster said.