Abstract in 2020, the state of hawaiʻi dlnr/docare academy program established a vocational hiring pathway for applicants not having any law enforcement experience

The Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded $340,000 under the Congressionally Recommended Awards program (CFDA 16.753) to the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources to support its Department of Conservation and Resources Enforcement Academy program from August 1, 2022 to December 31, 2023. The funding will pay tuition costs for recruits enrolled in the Academy's program at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu Community College for administration of justice courses. These courses develop recruits' occupational skills to become effective conservation and resources enforcement officers for the State of Hawaii. The tuition funding reflects the number of enrolled recruits and includes costs for a lecturer, support staff, textbooks, and training logistics. The Academy program establishes an alternative pathway for applicants without law enforcement experience to enter the conservation officer field in Hawaii.

Upon enrollment into the academy program, the applicants, now recruits and employees of the state of hawai'i, are developed, through lecture and specialized occupational skillset development training, to become effective and competent conservation and resources enforcement officers. Additionally, the daily principles of integrity, respect, fairness, competency, and the spirit of aloha to uphold the laws that serve to protect, conserve and manage, hawaiʻi's unique and limited natural, cultural and historic resources held in public trust for current and future generations of visitors and the people of hawai'i are infused into the academy culture. As costs to procure subject matter experts increase, direct and supplementary funding to support the state of hawaiʻi's dlnr/docare academy program will ensure its viability. Specifically, the funding will pay for the recruits' university of hawaiʻi, honolulu community college administration of justice tuition. The total cost of tuition reflects the amount of the enrolled recruits. The tuition includes the cost of a lecturer and support staff, textbooks, and the services of additional costs related to training logistics and applicable venues.