Hawaii Law Enforcement Standards Board
LESB
Summary
The LESB (est. 2018, HRS Ch. 139) is Hawaii's POST-equivalent decertification board housed within but independent of the Department of the Attorney General. Its 15 voting members include 9 LE agency heads (ex officio), 2 governor-appointed law enforcement officers, and 4 governor-appointed public members (one per county). The board holds statutory subpoena power (HRS § 139-3) for records and testimony in investigations and may deny, suspend, or revoke an officer's certification — a binding action. It does not independently investigate use-of-force incidents; misconduct complaints are reviewed through its Professional Standards Division and referred to a hearing board. Annual reports are submitted to the Legislature under HRS § 139-9.
Independence Scorecard
| Appointment | Executive appointment |
|---|---|
| Term length | 4 years |
| Removal standard | For cause only |
| Budget independence | Legislative line item |
| Subpoena power | Yes |
| Compel testimony | Yes |
| Records access | Case-by-case |
| Public reports required | Yes |
| Pre-publication review | None — reports published directly |
Statute
- Name
- Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 139
- Citation
- HRS § 139-1 to 139-11
- Full text
- Full text of law →
Jurisdiction scope
All county police department officers, Department of Law Enforcement officers, Department of Land and Natural Resources law enforcement officers, Department of Taxation officers, and Department of the Attorney General law enforcement officers