Maui’s police chief has requested a new airship or helicopter capable of nighttime operations in order to respond to emergencies in remote locations quickly.
During a Maui County Council meeting this week, Maui Police Department Chief John Pelletier said the department currently has no air assets that can operate at night.
Pelletier has requested $500,000 for equipment used by the airship and its crew, which would include nighttime goggles and thermal imaging.
The actual airship will be requested in 2026 and cost about $2.3 million annually.
Pelletier said the airship wouldn’t be just for law enforcement and could be shared with the fire department. The after-action report for the Maui Fire Department following the August wildfires recommended expanding aerial capabilities.
“If we put out one fire with this bird, it pays for itself. If we save one life it pays for itself,” Pelletier said at the meeting.
Councilmember Gabe Johnson said the county needs to have ways to save and rescue people 24 hours a day.
