Governor Josh Green, M.D.

Officers showcased the winning uniforms in front of ʻIolani Palace. Picture by Jamm Aquino.

The Network Association of Uniform Manufacturers and Distributors (NAUMD) announced the State of Hawaiʻi Sheriff Division as the winner of the 2023 NAUMD best-dressed public safety award for Police/Sheriffs’ Departments. Each year, the NAUMD award committee looks at hundreds of nominations and considers appearance, functionality, policy standards for wear, historical content, and more in its decision to award the prestigious title. Agencies from across North America and several other countries compete for this much-desired award.  

“This well-deserved award recognizes the diligent work of Chief Deputy Lanikoa Dobrowolsky and his team in the Sheriff’s Division, to do the research to create a uniform design that is historically meaningful and culturally relevant, while also being practical to meet the modern needs of his uniformed division members,” said Governor Green. “I share in the department’s pride in receiving this hard-earned honor.”

The initiative to change the uniforms in 2021 addressed the supply issues that sheriffs faced for many years. The State of Hawaiʻi Sheriff Division adopted its new uniforms in 2021 after a rigorous evaluation period. The uniforms perpetuate the honored legacy of Hawaiʻi Sheriffs and reflect respect for the traditions of the many agencies that now make up the modern Sheriff Division.  

The colors of the new uniforms represent portions of the uniforms from the history of the sheriffs.

• The green trousers represent the color of the uniforms that were worn by the State of Hawaiʻi Law Enforcement Officers, previously under the State Attorney General, prior to being merged with the Sheriff Division in 1990.
• The Silver Tan Shirt represents the tan-on-tan uniform worn by Hawaiʻi State Sheriffs in the 1980s.
• The Brown Campaign Cover represents the legacy headgear worn by the sheriff and his deputies all the way back to the birth of the sheriffs in Hawaiʻi under the monarchy.  

The Sheriff Division was established in 1846, making it the oldest law enforcement agency within the State of Hawaiʻi and the only law enforcement agency in the nation to have ever directly reported to a king.

“This national award validates the decision made to change the sheriffs uniform. Deputies were asked to collaborate with the uniform manufacturer 911 Supply Inc. to come up with a new uniform that they could all be proud of,” said Public Safety Department Director Tommy Johnson. “I want to personally thank our deputies and other staff members who worked on this project and 911 Supply Inc. for their quality work and willingness to help with this uniform transition.”

Chief Deputy Lanikoa Dobrowolsky accepted the award in Atlanta, GA on behalf of the PSD Sheriff Division.

The State of Hawaiʻi Sheriff Division is one of only two sheriff organizations in the United States to be situated within state government versus county government. The Sheriff Division has 325 deputies statewide and performs services such as judicial support, patrol of areas within state jurisdiction, executive protection, (the Governor’s and Lieutenant Governor’s protective details), canine operations, special operations, and investigations.