State Transportation Director Ed Sniffen said Hawaii will deploy deputy sheriffs statewide for traffic enforcement, using $2 million in federal highway safety funding for overtime. The effort comes after traffic deaths on Hawaiian roads surged to 129 last year, a 20% increase from 2024 and the highest number of fatalities since 2007.
State officials attribute most of the deaths to driver behavior—speeding, intoxicated driving, and distracted driving—and say enforcement is the quickest path to reducing the toll. The deployment, which began in late December, marks a shift in the traditional focus of Hawaii’s Sheriff Division.
The Deployment
Hawaii will deploy deputy sheriffs across the state for traffic enforcement, a shift in how the state’s law enforcement organizes its resources. State Transportation Director Ed Sniffen announced that the state has committed $2 million in federal highway safety funding to pay overtime for the initiative, which began in late December 2025.
The deployment follows a surge in traffic deaths. Fatalities on Hawaiian roadways reached 129 in 2025, a 20% increase from 2024 and the highest annual toll since 2007. The deaths included 40 motor vehicle occupants, 39 motorcycle or motor scooter riders, and 38 pedestrians.
Targeting the Problem
Mike Lambert, director of the State Department of Law Enforcement, told the House Finance Committee that the deployment will follow a data-driven strategy. “We’re going to focus around schools during the day for speeding, distracted driving and whatnot, and then on the weekends and evenings it’s speeding and DUI,” he said, referring to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The initial deployment consists of two teams of five officers each on Oʻahu, with plans to expand to the neighbor islands. Historically, Hawaii’s Sheriff Division has focused on security at state facilities including courthouses, the State Capitol, airports, and harbors.
Sniffen attributed 90% of last year’s traffic fatalities to what he characterized as “user error”—speeding, driving while intoxicated, and distracted driving. He said enforcement is the fastest available tool to reduce deaths. “I don’t see any other way other than enforcement at this time to get those numbers down fast,” he said.
Staffing and Coordination
State Department of Law Enforcement director Lambert emphasized that deputies will operate in coordination with county police departments to avoid overlap. David Patterson, a public information officer for the department, said in a statement that the state has established partnerships with Honolulu police and plans to work with neighbor island police chiefs to identify areas where state resources can supplement county efforts.
The sheriff’s department faces significant staffing challenges. Lambert told lawmakers that 136 of 490 Sheriff Division positions are vacant, creating pressure to boost deputy pay for recruitment. The traffic enforcement program will operate using existing personnel, with deputies paid overtime for their additional traffic enforcement duties.
Measuring Success
When asked how long the state would maintain the traffic enforcement effort, Sniffen said the program’s continuation depends on results. “It’s going to last as long as we need it to. If we see it’s successful, if we see the numbers plummet immediately, if we see the longer use of sheriffs in our system is working, we’ll fund it,” he said.