THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	102
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT TO INCREASE THE SALARIES AND IMPROVE THE BENEFITS THAT ARE PROVIDED TO DEPUTY SHERIFFS.

     WHEREAS, deputy sheriffs provide vital law enforcement services throughout Hawaii by maintaining the peace and protecting all persons and property within the judicial and executive branches of government, including the Honolulu International Airport; and

     WHEREAS, deputy sheriffs conduct important criminal and civil investigations on cases that occur within their jurisdiction; and

     WHEREAS, deputy sheriffs are directly involved at various stages of the criminal justice system, including but not limited to the stages of arresting, booking, processing, escorting, securing, and transporting of inmates for court appearances; and

     WHEREAS, the pay and other benefits, such as uniform and weapon allowances, for deputy sheriffs are not competitive, in comparison to county police officers in this State or deputy sheriffs on the West Coast of the mainland; and

     WHEREAS, certain law enforcement agencies on the mainland have recruited and offered better compensation packages to experienced deputy sheriffs from Hawaii as an incentive for those deputy sheriffs to relocate to the mainland; and

     WHEREAS, deputy sheriffs deserve additional compensation and better benefits commensurate with county police officers in this State and deputy sheriffs in the states of Washington, Oregon, and California; and

     WHEREAS, a recent arbitration award granted county police officers in this State across-the-board pay raises and differentials that resulted in an even greater disparity between the compensation packages of county police officers and deputy sheriffs; and

     WHEREAS, acquiring and retaining well-trained deputy sheriffs to work in Hawaii is crucial for the safety of our communities and the efficiency of our government; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Human Resources Development and the Department of Public Safety are requested to negotiate higher salaries and increased benefits for deputy sheriffs throughout Hawaii with the Hawaii Government Employees Association so that the total compensation package for deputy sheriffs is competitive with county police officers in this State and deputy sheriffs on the West Coast of the mainland; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the salary and benefit negotiations shall be concluded within a sufficient time so that the necessary costs associated with the increased compensation packages are included in the supplemental budget; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of Hawaii, the Director of Human Resources Development, the Director of Public Safety, the Office of Collective Bargaining, and the Executive Director of the Hawaii Government Employees Association.

Report Title: 

Deputy Sheriffs; Increase Salaries; Improve Benefits