Prosecuting Attorney Waltjen sworn in, pledges district deputies and tougher focus on opioids and meth

Prosecuting Attorney Waltjen was sworn into office and used his inaugural remarks to outline a public-safety agenda focused on rising substance-related crime and expanded district-level presence.

Judge Henry Nakamoto administered the oath. In his remarks, Waltjen said the county has seen an increase in methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl entering the community and called for a multi-pronged approach: stiffer penalties for serious and repeat offenders paired with greater investment in prevention, treatment and reintegration programs.

Waltjen said he would assign deputies to each district to improve communication between the prosecutor's office and local communities and strengthen interagency relationships with law enforcement. "We will work hard to create a more cohesive law enforcement on Hawaii Island by strengthening interagency relationships," he said.

He emphasized the need to treat public safety from "all angles," combining prosecution with interventions that keep people from entering the criminal-justice system in the first place.

Waltjen's remarks followed ceremonial elements of the inauguration: musical performances, invocation and the oath of office. The prosecutor noted preparations his team made ahead of the transition to allow the office to "hit the ground running" on day one.