Hawaii’s crime rate fell nearly 12% in 2025
Police officers in Hawaii solved 13,260 crimes last year while the 54,089 major crimes reported to the four county departments represented a crime rate that fell nearly 12%, according to the state Department of the Attorney General.
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A total of 54,089 “Group A” criminal offenses were reported statewide in 2025, a rate of 3,775 offenses per 100,000 residents, an 11.6% decrease in the state’s total crime rate from 2024, according to the AG’s Hawaii Crime Dashboard. There are 51 criminal offenses in “Group A,” from animal cruelty to weapons law violations.
Police departments documented the largest “notable decreases” in the percentages of murder, manslaughter, rape and car theft. Increases were reported for burglary, drug and gambling offenses, according to the AG.
Among the 14,309 offenses that were eligible for weapon reporting statewide in 2025, 13,022 involved the use of at least one weapon type. The weapons allegedly most used last year in 9,785 reported crimes were hands, fists and feet.
Firearms were allegedly used in 884 crimes reported in Hawaii in 2025.
Officers with the Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui and Kauai police departments cleared 13,260 crimes last year, a 24.5% rate, up from 22.7% in 2022. The statewide crime clearance rate has risen every year since 2021, according to the AG’s office.
Cleared offenses are the number of offenses solved by arrest or otherwise “closed through exceptional means in the current year,” regardless of when the initial offense occurred and was reported, according to the Hawaii Crime Dashboard’s methodology.
An offense is cleared by arrest when at least one person is arrested, charged with the commission of the offense and turned over to the court for prosecution, according to the AG. Exceptional means include dead suspects and known criminals who cannot be brought in for prosecution.
A total of 3,383 sworn officers and civilian employees worked for the four county police departments on Oct. 31, 2025. Of those, 2,324, or 87.6%, were men and 330 were women.
Don Faumuina, president of the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in a statement that police officers in Hawaii believe that every keiki deserves to grow up in a safe neighborhood.
“While our members worked tirelessly to drive down overall crime and raise clearance rates statewide, we know not every island or community is feeling that relief. Some neighborhoods still face rising crime, and with statewide officer losses outpacing new hires, proactive policing is getting harder by the day,” Faumuina said. “Leaders across Hawaii must make officer retention and recruitment an urgent priority. SHOPO members will not rest until every family on every island feels safe at home.”
Oahu’s crime rate fell furthest last year. A total of 30,758 offenses were reported to HPD, a rate of 3,116.3 offenses reported per 100,000 residents, a 16.6% decrease. HPD solved 6,890 offenses last year, increasing the department’s clearance rate to 22.4% in 2025, up from 20.6% in 2024.
HPD Deputy Chief Brandon Nakasato told the Star-Advertiser that the decline in crime on Oahu is “encouraging.”
Police say the work officers are doing every day to “serve and protect our community, our strong partnerships with other law enforcement agencies and continued collaboration with our communities” contributed to the decreased crime rate.
“We are also continuing our islandwide approach to public safety, focusing our resources where they are needed most and using technology to strengthen our crime prevention and response efforts. While the numbers are moving in the right direction, there is still more work to do, and we will continue working with our communities to make our neighborhoods safer,” Nakasato said.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi told the Star-Advertiser in a statement that the numbers are very encouraging and reflect the “tremendous work being done every day” by the men and women of the Honolulu Police Department.
“A 17 percent drop in the overall crime rate is significant, and we are seeing decreases across crimes against people, property and our community. There is still a lot of work ahead of us, and no one is declaring victory, but we are clearly moving in the right direction,” Blangiardi said.
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Blangiardi lauded the leadership of HPD Chief David Lazar and expressed confidence in the direction the department is headed.
“He has brought strong leadership, accountability and a renewed sense of purpose to HPD, and I fully expect us to build on this progress and make Oahu an even safer place to live, work and raise a family,” Blangiardi said.
On Maui, MPD officers responded to 9,284 offenses last year, a rate of 5,726.8 offenses reported per 100,000 residents. It was a 6.2% decrease from the total crime rate in 2024.
MPD officers solved 2,249 crimes last year, tallying a clearance rate of 24.2%, up from 20.7% in 2024.
In a statement to the Star-Advertiser, MPD said no single factor can be identified as responsible for the decline, crime rates can fluctuate from year to year, and statistics are only one measure of public safety.
“The Maui Police Department is encouraged by the decrease in reported crime in 2025 and remains focused on the work that supports safer communities. MPD remains committed to proactive crime prevention through targeted enforcement, thorough investigations, and collaboration with our law enforcement and community partners. Our officers and professional staff work every day to respond to community concerns, investigate offenses, support victims, and hold offenders accountable,” MPD said.
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen praised the work of the police department and said the entire county is committed to keeping communities safe.
“Keeping our community safe has been one of our highest priorities from day one, and these numbers show encouraging progress. A 6.2% decline in Maui County’s overall crime rate, including nearly a 12% reduction in property crime, is meaningful, but we know there is still work to do,” he said.
Increases to MPD’s budget resulted in expanded personnel and investments in modern training and equipment to help support MPD’s efforts.
In Kauai County, 3,298 offenses were reported to KPD officers at a rate of 4,494.7 offenses per 100,000 residents, down 6.1% from the total crime rate in 2024.
The department’s clearance rate went up to 28.7% in 2025, up slightly from 28.5% in 2024. KPD officers solved 947 crimes last year.
“We are encouraged by the decrease in overall crime on Kaua‘i. While crime trends are influenced by many factors, we believe our continued focus on community engagement, crime prevention, enforcement, and investigative efforts, combined with the partnership of our community, has contributed to maintaining public safety. We will continue working with our residents and community partners to address emerging trends and keep Kaua‘i safe,” KPD Chief Rudy Tai told the Star-Advertiser in a statement.
On Hawaii Island, police responded to 10,749 offenses last year, a rate of 5,110.6 offenses per 100,000 residents, a 0.9% decrease from 2024. Hawaii police solved crime last year at the same rate officers did in 2024, 29.5%. Police cleared 3,174 crimes in 2025.
The statistics from Hawaii police data were reported under National Incident-Based Reporting System specifications, through the state’s participation in the FBI’s nationwide Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
