During the time preceding APEC I was involved with some of the planning. One question from the Feds (FBI, DSS, SS, ETC.) and the answer from the HPD representative caught my attention. We were discussing an active shooter scenario and the Fed asked about armed citizens and tips to identify them should they try to intervene in such a situation. The response from HPD? Essentially it was "if they got a gun and aren't LE, shoot 'em, cause we don't allow folks to carry here...."

WHOA!  So you're saying that my "worst case scenario" is actually somewhat probable?  That's scary

That is the mentality that gives HPD a bad name.  How does one distinguish an off duty HPD officer, a plain clothes HPD officer, an on/or off duty Feds and a regular civilian with a firearm letting the lead fly in public?  Or would it be safe or safer, to constantly wear shirts with those big 3 or 4 letter federal agencies generic shirt?  Or maybe it would be safer to just wear button up aloha shirts as most of the plain clothes officers I know on Maui use those.

That is the mentality that gives HPD a bad name.  How does one distinguish an off duty HPD officer, a plain clothes HPD officer, an on/or off duty Feds and a regular civilian with a firearm letting the lead fly in public?  Or would it be safe or safer, to constantly wear shirts with those big 3 or 4 letter federal agencies generic shirt?  Or maybe it would be safer to just wear button up aloha shirts as most of the plain clothes officers I know on Maui use those.

Probably more of a decision from the top than the guys doing all the work on the streets. The guys on the streets are going to know there are various agencies as well as under cover HPD in the islands. But if cops respond to a  scene they are going to prone everyone with a weapon out and figure out later whether someone is a fellow law enforcement agent.