HRS §52D-8
County pays for police officer's lawyer in job-related cases
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗If a police officer is charged with a crime or sued for something they did while on duty, the county where they work must provide and pay for a lawyer. In criminal cases, the county hires the lawyer. In civil cases, the county's own attorney handles the defense.
counties
The statute, as written — Police officers; counsel for
A copy, taken August 20, 2026. The version published by the Legislature is the one that governs, and it may have changed since. Check it before relying on anything here.
Whenever a police officer is prosecuted for a crime or sued in a civil action for acts done in the performance of the officer's duty as a police officer, the police officer shall be represented and defended: (1) In criminal proceedings by an attorney to be employed and paid by the county in which the officer is serving; and (2) In civil cases by the corporation counsel or county attorney of the county in which the police officer is serving.
LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.