Investigations Division
The Investigations Division conducts investigations in support of the department’s civil, criminal, and administrative cases. These investigations involve such areas as homeland security; tactical intelligence operations; fugitive warrant investigations and extraditions, counter terrorism operations, organized crime and special career criminal suppression; crimes against children; fraud investigations, computer crimes; drug nuisance abatement; environmental crimes; tobacco tax enforcement; Internal Affairs investigations, crimes committed at state airport, harbors, and highways; cold homicide cases; and other criminal and civil matters. [1]
As of June 30, 2023, the Investigations Division had the following structure: [2]
- Chief Special Investigator
- Secretary III — Clerical Services Section
- Two (2) Office Assistant IV's
- Investigator VI — Tobacco Tax Section
- Five (5) Investigator V's
- Investigator VI — Investigative Services Section
- Thirty six (36) Investigator V's
On January 1, 2024, certain "law enforcement personnel of the Investigations Division of the Department of the Attorney General" were transferred to the new Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement pursuant to Hawaii Bill HB2171 and SB1337. [3] [4] Per SB1337, one Chief Investigator, nineteen (19) Investigators, and one administrative secretary were transferred from the Investigations Division to the Department of Law Enforcement. [4]
Rank structure
Investigators have the powers and privileges of police officers with statewide jurisdiction to effect arrest and conduct investigations. [7] Most investigators are experienced law enforcement officer with other federal, state or local police agencies prior to being employed with the division. Investigators conduct investigations of the most complex, confidential, and diverse civil/criminal cases being considered and/or readied for court action and prosecution; obtains additional information, evidence, and facts to clarify or substantiate findings of law enforcement agencies; secures, interviews, and interrogates witnesses complainants, and suspects; conducts highly confidential investigations.
- Chief Special Investigator, EM-07: responsible for planning, administering, organizing, and directing the statewide investigations program. As chief of the Investigations Division of the Department of the Attorney General, the sole position in this class is responsible for developing program plans to achieve program goals and objectives; developing operational policies and procedures; developing and implementing the program's budget; recommending new laws, rules and regulations; testifying before the Legislature; and establishing and maintaining extensive public contacts with representatives of other international, State, federal, and county agencies to share information and collaborate on law enforcement projects and activities. [8]
- Investigator VI, SR-26 (Chief Investigator / Colonel): plans, organizes, directs and coordinates a statewide investigative program, and performs other related duties as assigned. At this level, positions develop operating policies and procedures; resolve operational problems; recommend new laws, rules and regulations or recommend revisions; testify before the legislature; prepare budget requests and develop training programs. Work activities and requirements are broad and complex although violations investigated are related to specific program areas, such as, welfare fraud, controlled substances, regulated industries, consumer protection, etc. Investigators at the VI level may occasionally work on the most complex investigations, which involve highly controversial issues and extremely complex problems. [9]
- Investigator V, SR-24: plans, organizes, directs and coordinates the activities of an investigative agency concerned with civil, administrative and/or criminal investigations falling within its respective jurisdiction, and performs other related duties as assigned. [9]
- Type A (Commander): a full supervisor who has complete technical and administrative responsibility for an agency's investigative program (e.g. welfare fraud) and has supervisory responsibility over a staff of investigators, where at least one member of the staff is of the Investigator IV level, type A or C.
- Type B (Captain): an investigator who conducts civil, administrative and criminal investigations falling within a variety of jurisdictions, such as, the Executive, Legislative or Judicial Branches, State departments or agencies, county and federal governments and regulatory boards and commissions, where violations or circumstances investigated are related to a broad variety of program areas and covering a very broad range of laws, rules and regulations.
- Investigator IV, SR-22 (Lieutenant): performs and/or supervises investigations involving suspected or actual violations of civil, administrative and/or criminal laws, rules, regulations or other legal requirements within an agency's jurisdiction; determines case approach and gathers supporting evidence or information; and performs other related duties as assigned. [9]
- Type A: an investigator independently performing the full range of investigations within an agency's jurisdiction where the work regularly is of a complex nature, but is limited to investigating violations that are related to a specific program area, such as, welfare fraud, controlled substances, regulated industries, consumer protection, etc.
- Type B: one or two investigators who are responsible for the small investigative program in an agency, without higher level investigative supervisory guidance. These investigators are responsible for the day-to-day operations of their respective investigative program areas, including the promotion of public understanding and cooperation; recommendation of changes to laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures; conduct of education and training activities; establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with law enforcement and other agencies, as well as, maintaining records, preparing reports and performing other administrative duties.
- Type C: the working supervisory investigator in an agency where investigations are carried out according to standard policies and procedures, from planning through fact-finding to reporting the results of investigations.
- Investigator III, SR-20 (Sergeant): conducts investigations pertaining to an agency's investigative program; prevents and/or detects violations of laws, rules and regulations within an agency's jurisdiction; investigates complaints filed by the public or others; develops and secures information or evidence; prepares reports; and performs other related duties as assigned. [9]
- Investigator II, SR-18 (Officer II): performs a limited range of investigative activities in the prevention and detection of violations of laws, rules and regulations falling within an agency's jurisdiction; gathers information; prepares reports; and performs other related duties as assigned. [9]
- Investigator I, SR-16 (Officer): receives orientation and training in the investigative field; learns basic investigative techniques and procedures, as well as laws, rules and regulations pertaining to an agency's jurisdiction; receives simple and routine assignments; and performs other related duties as assigned. As the entry trainee level in the series, positions in this class receive formal and on-the-job training in investigative methods, techniques, procedures and laws, rules and regulations pertinent to an agency's jurisdiction. Initially, the investigator is primarily an observer in working with higher level investigators, but as experience is gained, selected investigative duties are assigned. [9]
