In an effort to protect the community, the Hawai‘i County Police Department (HPD) added a School Resource Officer (SRO) at Hilo Intermediate School after reports of increased violence. The full-time SRO will remain at the school through the remainder of the school year.

SROs are part of the Department’s Community Policing program and are explicitly assigned to schools. They maintain communication with community and neighborhood organizations and business leaders to address criminal, traffic, and safety issues. .

When HPD received the recent report about violence at the school, Mayor Roth and Hawaiʻi County Police Chief Moscowicz immediately worked with school officials to provide a multi-level approach to address school safety.