POLICY

The Honolulu Police Department shall provide assistance in
emergency situations involving hazardous materials and
weapons of mass destruction.
DEFINITIONS

A. Hazardous material: A substance that, because of its
physical or chemical properties, can cause an
unreasonable risk to the health and safety of
individuals, property, and/or the environment. The
United Nations has identified nine classes of hazardous
materials; they include, but are not limited to, the
following:

1 . Explosives

2. Gases (compressed, liquefied, or dissolved under
pressure

3. Flammable liquids

4. Flammable solids or substances

5 . Oxidizing substances

6. Poisonous substances

7. Radioactive substances

8. Corrosive substances

9. Miscellaneous dangerous substances

B. Hazardous material emergency: Any situation or event
involving hazardous material wherein the circumstances
call for immediate action to protect the public health
or welfare.

C. Public health or welfare: Anything that relates to
human health or welfare, public safety, the natural
environment, fish, wildlife, and public and/or private
property.

D. Soill or discharqe: Any spilling, leaking, pumping,
pouring, emitting, emptying, dumping, or other release
of a hazardous material.

E. Terrorism (as defined by the u.s. Department of
Justice): The unlawful use of force against persons or
property to intimidate or coerce a government, the
civilian population, or segment thereof, in the
furtherance of political or social objectives.

F . Weapons of mass destruction (WMD): WMD include
nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. Such
weapons may use military chemical and biological
warfare agents or radioactive materials as primary
ingredients.

1. Chemical agents are super toxic chemicals used to
poison victims. They are similar to hazardous
industrial chemicals but may be hundreds of times
more toxic. There are blood agents, choking
agents, blistering agents, and nerve agents.

2. Biological agents are living germs (viruses,
bacteria, and toxins) that will cause disease to
humans and animals. These agents generally behave
like chemical agents.

3. Radiological materials can pose both acute and
long-term hazards to humans. They also behave
like some chemical agents in that they cause cell
damage, but they do not necessarily have to be
inhaled or come into contact with the skin to do
damage.
PROCEDURES

A. Initial Report of Incident Involving Hazardous Material

A WMD terrorist incident is inherently a hazardous
material incident. When an incident is reported, the
Communications Division shall:

B. First Officers at the Scene

1 . The officers responding to a hazardous materials
incident shall:

2 . In the absence of a clear indication of an
accidental incident, it must be assumed that an
act of terrorism has occurred unti l proven
otherwise. For terrorist WMD incidents, the
responding officers shall also:

C. Civil Defense Coordinator

D. Specialized Services Division

E. Identification of Hazardous Material

1. Attempts shall be made to identify the hazardous
material as soon as possible by any of the
following methods:

F. Incident Command

1. When HPD officers are the first to arrive at the
incident scene, they shall establish a command
post and assume command of the incident. The
first priority for law enforcement is public
safety and preservation of life.

G. Cleanup Re sponsibi lities

1. The state Department of Health is responsible for
coordinating major cleanup efforts.

2 . The HFD and the Honolulu Department of Facility
Maintenance are responsible for coordinated
cleanup efforts at minor spill sites.

3. Under no circumstances will HPD personnel be
involved in the actual cleanup or recovery of
hazardous materials.

4. HPD personnel may continue to provide security for
the scene if the need exists.

a. A police supervisor and the incident
commander will determine when police units
are no longer needed at the scene.

b. Site safety must be a primary concern.

H. Found-Property Cases Involving Hazardous Material
When material that is hazardous or suspected to be
hazardous is turned in to or located by police
officers, it shall not be taken to a police facility.

1. These cases require that the HFD be notified and
inspect the material to determine if an immediate
danger exists.

2 . Upon mitigation of the danger, the state
Department of Health is responsible for the
recovery, removal, and destruction of the
hazardous materials.

I. Criminal Cases Involving Hazardous Material

1. When evidence that is hazardous or suspected to be
hazardous is located by police officers through a
criminal investigation, it shall not be taken to a
police facility unless:

a. Trained SIS personnel recover the sample; and

b. Police operations are directed by
investigators who are trained and certified
in the handling of hazardous materials and/or
clandestine laboratory investigations.

2. Proper protective equipment shall be used by all
personnel at all times.

J. Vehicle Collisions Involving Hazardous Material

1. Officers investigating collisions in which a
cleanup of hazardous material is required should
request the services of the HFD through the
Communications Division.

2 . The HFD, city Department of Environmental
Services, state Department of Health, and other
city agencies are responsible for cleanup efforts,
depending on the amount of material involved.

a. The HFD will determine if the amount of
material to be cleaned up is within its area
of responsibility.

b. If not, the HFD will contact the agency
responsible for the cleanup.

3. HPD officers should not get involved in the
cleanup of hazardous material. The HPD’s
responsibilities are scene safety, traffic
control, evacuation, and collision investigation.

4. If it is essential to complete collision
investigation work at the scene, the use of
absorbent material by the HFD may be delayed.
However, if a delay would increase the risk to
life and property, the HFD incident commander may
proceed with spill- and leak-control measures.
JURISDICTION

A. The Oahu Civil Defense Agency may, upon request by the
incident commander, coordinate the efforts of all
non-police agencies involved.

B. The U. S . Coast Guard is responsible for coordinating
federal activities related to inland site emergencies
involving oil and hazardous substances.

C. The supervisor in charge of any criminal investigation
involving narcotics and related hazardous materials may
notify the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and
request assistance if he or she deems it necessary.