Hawaii Convention Center Bans Off-Duty Police Officers from Carrying Firearms

from HIFICO, May 19, 2026

Recently, Hawaii Firearms Coalition was contacted regarding an incident involving an off-duty police officer who was reportedly denied entry to an event at the Hawaii Convention Center because he was carrying a firearm.

At first, the situation seemed strange enough that we wanted to verify it ourselves. After speaking with Convention Center staff, we were told that firearms are prohibited inside the facility because the Convention Center considers itself a “sensitive place” under Hawaii law.

When we asked about exemptions for law enforcement officers, we were informed that the policy is being applied broadly. According to the information provided to us, only uniformed officers or officers there in an official capacity are permitted to carry firearms inside the building. Off-duty officers attending events for personal reasons are reportedly not allowed to enter while armed.

That immediately stood out to us.

The Hawaii Convention Center is a government-owned facility. Yet current sworn law enforcement officers are apparently being treated no differently than the general public when it comes to carrying firearms inside the building while off duty.

We are not aware of another government facility in Hawaii with a policy this restrictive toward active police officers.

What makes the situation even more unusual is that Honolulu Police Department policy requires officers to carry their firearm and department identification while off duty, with limited exceptions for situations where carrying is prohibited or otherwise impractical. In other words, HPD’s own requirements for its officers appear to directly conflict with the Convention Center’s policy.

The policy also raises practical questions.

Convention centers host large public gatherings: trade shows, graduations, conventions, concerts, and other events involving thousands of people. If something serious were to happen, an off-duty officer already on scene could potentially respond before on-duty units arrive.

Instead, based on what we were told, officers attending these events with their families or friends are expected to disarm before entering.

We also find it difficult to understand the logic behind allowing an officer to carry a firearm while working at the facility, but prohibiting that same officer from carrying while attending an event on personal time.

This issue appears to be another example of how broadly some entities are choosing to interpret Hawaii’s sensitive places laws. While the law itself contains exemptions for law enforcement officers, the Convention Center’s policy appears to narrow those exemptions significantly in practice.

To be clear, this article is not about whether private citizens should be allowed to carry firearms inside the Convention Center. The concern here is specifically about current sworn law enforcement officers being prohibited from carrying firearms at a state-owned facility while off duty.

At a minimum, we believe this deserves public discussion.

Police officers do not stop being police officers when their shift ends. Emergencies do not only happen during business hours, and there is a reason departments across the country require or strongly encourage off-duty carry.

Hawaii Firearms Coalition has reached out to both SHOPO and Honolulu Police Department for comment regarding the policy and whether they were aware of it. At the time of writing, we have not yet received responses.

We have also requested additional clarification from the Convention Center regarding its written firearms policies and how they are applied to current law enforcement officers.