HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2061

TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO PRIVATE DETECTIVES AND GUARDS.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  Police officers are a special class of law enforcement.  They receive rigorous training, are subject to direct oversight by the State, and wield broad powers to ensure the security and safety of the State and its people, including the powers to detain and search individuals.

     The roles of some private security guards have expanded.  Although private security guards make a valuable contribution to the security of Hawaii, they are not police officers.  It is therefore important that an individual know whether the individual is dealing with a private security guard or with a police officer.  Private detectives and guards are not permitted to imply any association with a government agency.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to clarify that private detectives and guards are prohibited from self-identifying as a law enforcement officer, a police officer, or police.

     SECTION 2.  Section 463-11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§463-11  Association with government not to be implied.  [No] (a)  Except for a licensee or an employee of a licensee commissioned by the director of transportation under section 261-17 or section 266-24, no licensee or employee of a licensee shall [use]:

     (1)  Use any designation or trade name which implies any association with any municipal, county, state, or territorial government or the federal government, or any agency thereof; [nor shall a licensee or employee of any licensee wear]

     (2)  Wear or use any badge [or], uniform, equipment, vehicle, or other accoutrement capable of being associated with the badge [or], uniform, equipment, vehicle, or other accoutrement of any law enforcement officer who is employed by a government law enforcement organization[.];

     (3)  Wear or use any badge, uniform, equipment, vehicle, or other accoutrement that includes the words "police" or "law enforcement"; or

     (4)  Use the terms "law enforcement officer", "police", or "police officer" to self-identify as such.

     (b)  For purposes of this section, "law enforcement officer" has the same meaning as in section 710-1000."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.



 

Report Title:

Private Detectives; Private Guards; Law Enforcement Officers

 

Description:

Prohibits private detectives and guards from self-identifying as law enforcement officers, police, or police officers and from wearing or using any badge, uniform, equipment, vehicle, or other accoutrement capable of being associated with that of a law enforcement officer employed by a government law enforcement organization.  (HB2061 HD1)

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.