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8 Hawaii Sheriff’s deputies are currently on leave pending a harassment investigation

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The case concerns the alleged racist harassment of an intern by State Capitol officials.

Eight state sheriff’s deputies have been placed on paid leave pending an investigation into allegations that a black deputy in training was racially harassed by his colleagues during shift meetings, according to a source familiar with the incident.

The Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement announced the arrest of a deputy sheriff on harassment charges on June 18 and announced the arrest of another deputy sheriff on the same charge on Tuesday.

The crime of harassment includes what the courts have described as “abusive communications.” Harassment is a minor offense punishable by up to 30 days in jail.

Deputy Sheriff Alvin Turla (Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement)Deputy Sheriff Alvin Turla (Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement)
Deputy Sheriff Alvin Turla (Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement)

According to the source, at least one of the eight officers placed on leave was a supervisor. The eight allegedly laughed at racially charged comments about fried chicken and watermelon instead of reporting them to the department’s chain of command, the source said.

The department declined to comment on any suspensions related to the harassment cases.

Last week, the department announced that it arrested 46-year-old Deputy Sheriff Alvin Turla on June 18 for harassment. The statement did not explain who Turla allegedly harassed or why.

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On Tuesday, Wayne Ibarra, acting press secretary for the Department of Law Enforcement, announced that criminal investigations had also arrested 40-year-old sheriff’s deputy sergeant Erich Mitamura on charges of harassment.

The source said Turla and the other lawmakers who were placed on leave are stationed at the state Capitol and several incidents are being investigated. The harassment allegedly occurred between late December and March during meetings at the start of the lawmakers’ shifts.

Deputy Sheriff Sergeant Erich MitamuraDeputy Sheriff Sergeant Erich Mitamura
Deputy Sheriff Sergeant Erich Mitamura (Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement)

The Department of Law Enforcement was created this year to consolidate law enforcement agencies formerly under different state agencies into a single state department and to separate law enforcement functions from state corrections.

It included the state port police, the drug enforcement agency, the state Department of Homeland Security and the sheriff’s division, which provides security at courts and airports.

According to the Department of Public Safety’s annual report, deputies conduct crimes and misdemeanors investigations and made nearly 3,000 arrests in fiscal year 2023.

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