Kalawao County Booking Reports

Kalawao County sits on the north coast of Molokai. It is the smallest county in the United States by population. Because the area has no local government, Kalawao County booking reports are handled through the state and through Maui-side resources. Law enforcement runs through the Maui office of the Hawaii Department of Health, plus state agencies like the Department of Law Enforcement. The Moloka'i District Court covers judicial needs. Use this page to look up Kalawao County booking reports and find the right state or Maui contact.

Kalawao Booking Reports Overview

Kalawao County is the smallest county in the state, by both area and by head count. The 2020 Census listed 82 residents. The largest community is Kalaupapa. The county was founded in 1905. It was set up as a leprosy settlement, and it still runs under a special state plan. Due to the small number of people living there, crime data is not shown on most state dashboards.

Because of the unique setup, Kalawao County booking reports are not handled by a local police department. There is no county-level records office. State agencies and Maui-side resources step in to handle arrests, jail holds, and court records for anyone in the Kalaupapa settlement or the north coast area.

Note: Due to Kalawao County's tiny head count, requests often tie back to small sets of people. Privacy limits may apply more in these cases, per HRS §92F-13.

Booking Reports Via State Agencies

Kalawao County does not have a local police department. Because the area does not have a local government, law enforcement is run by the state. The Hawaii Department of Health, through its Maui Office, is the first point of contact for public safety questions on the north coast of Molokai. The Maui Office line is (808) 586-4412.

State-level backing for Kalawao County booking reports comes from the Department of Law Enforcement. The DLE Maui Section line is (808) 244-2900. The state Sheriff Division executes warrants and provides security at state buildings. For specific case work, the Moloka'i District Court at (808) 553-1100 handles judicial records.

Lead-in to the Hawaii Department of Health. The image below shows the main page for the Department of Health, which oversees Kalawao County administration.

The DOH runs the Kalaupapa settlement under a long-standing mandate. For public safety questions in Kalawao County, start at the Hawaii Department of Health site.

Note: Any serious arrest on the north coast is tied into Maui Police Department and the state Sheriff Division. The arrest record itself is kept at those agencies, not at a local Kalawao desk.

Kalawao County Booking Reports and Records

Arrest records in Kalawao County are kept for each individual crime in the jurisdictional area. Crimes are split into violent crime and property crime, the same way other counties break the data down. Due to the small population, crime rates are not listed in most state reports. That said, all records that do exist are still open under UIPA, per HRS Chapter 92F.

HRS §92F-11 keeps most records open for public inspection. HRS §92F-13 lists the exceptions, which cover open cases, privacy limits, and other law-based holds. Law enforcement files that fit those exceptions may be held back. For Kalawao County, most public requests are routed through Maui or through the state DLE.

For Kalawao County booking reports:

• Contact the Maui Office of the Department of Health: (808) 586-4412
• Contact the Moloka'i District Court: (808) 553-1100
• Contact the DLE Maui Section: (808) 244-2900
• Contact the state Sheriff Records line: (808) 587-5121
• Use eCrim for adult conviction records
• Use eCourt Kokua for court dockets

Most Kalawao cases go through the Maui Community Correctional Center in Wailuku for jail holds. That facility is at 600 Waiale Road, Wailuku, HI 96793, (808) 243-5858. Written requests for inmate info go to the MCCC Records Office.

Kalawao Booking Reports in Court

Kalawao County falls under the Maui Judicial District for court work. That means cases tied to the county go through the Moloka'i District Court or the Second Circuit Court in Wailuku. For case searches, warrant questions, and dockets, call the Moloka'i District Court at (808) 553-1100. Court records are kept by the court clerk.

Statewide, the Hawaii State Judiciary runs eCourt Kokua. The site shows traffic, District Court, Circuit Court, Family Court, Land Court, Tax Appeal, and appellate cases. Basic searches are free. Document downloads cost $3.00 for 1-30 pages, with 10 cents per added page. A $500 yearly pass works too.

For long-term inmate status on any Kalawao-related case, use the free Hawaii SAVIN portal. It runs 24 hours a day and shows custody changes, transfers, and parole hearings. The alert sign-up is free.

State Records that Cover Kalawao

State record tools step in where county-level data does not exist. The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, or HCJDC, runs the main state criminal history system. A name-based check is $30. A fingerprint-based check is $35 by mail or $55 in person. HCJDC is at 465 South King Street, Room 102, Honolulu, HI 96813, (808) 587-3100.

The Office of Information Practices runs UIPA appeals and training. If a Kalawao County booking report request is turned down, the appeal goes to OIP. Reach them at (808) 586-1400. OIP also publishes the UIPA Manual, which sets the rules agencies must follow.

The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation tracks inmate custody. The DCR Main Office is at 919 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96814, (808) 587-1288. Inmate Classification is (808) 587-2567.

For state-level conviction data, the eCrim portal pulls adult conviction records. Each unique search is $5.00. An official report is $12.00. The tool does not show non-conviction arrests or pending cases. "No Criminal Convictions Found" is a valid result.

UIPA and Kalawao County Records

The Uniform Information Practices Act is the master open records law in Hawaii. It lives in HRS Chapter 92F. HRS §92F-11 says "All government records are open to public inspection unless access is restricted or closed by law." HRS §92F-12 forces agencies to open records for inspection and copying during normal hours. Kalawao County records follow these rules, even with the county's unique setup.

Agencies have 10 business days to reply to a UIPA request. If a request is turned down, the requester can appeal to the Office of Information Practices. OIP will review the denial and issue a written ruling. That right to appeal is a key part of the UIPA system, and it applies to records in every Hawaii county, including Kalawao.

Expungement under HRS §831-3.2 may be granted for arrests that did not lead to conviction. The first-time fee is $35, and repeat asks are $50. See the HCJDC expungements page for Form HCJDC 159(b). Processing takes 120 days.

Communities in Kalawao County

Kalawao County is made up of just a few small communities on Molokai's north coast. The main community is Kalaupapa. The whole county has fewer than 100 residents. No cities in our set are in Kalawao County.

Neighboring towns on Molokai include Kaunakakai, Hoolehua, Maunaloa, and Kualapuu. These are part of Maui County, not Kalawao County. For those areas, head to the Maui County page.

Nearby Hawaii Counties

Kalawao County borders Maui County on Molokai. Other counties are across open water.