Teaming up for the ‘āina: Police, Goodwill renew longstanding partnership to clean up downtown Hilo

Officers with Hawai‘i Police Department’s Hilo Community Policing Section recently renewed their section’s partnership with Goodwill’s ‘Āina Keepers for a graffiti cleanup project in downtown Hilo.

A team of 12 ‘Āina Keepers joined several Hilo Community Policing officers and worked together April 17, restoring the appearance of two heavily graffitied locations along Keawe and Haili streets, using paint and supplies generously donated by HPM Building Supply.

“It was a pleasure partnering with Goodwill’s ‘Āina Keepers this morning to paint over graffiti in downtown [Hilo],” said Community Policing Officer Joshua Willing, whose beat includes downtown Hilo, in a special media release about the cleanup from Hawai‘i Police Department.

The cleanup effort was part of a longstanding partnership between Goodwill and the police department. It also is one of several planned during the months to come in the downtown area of the East Hawai‘i community.

‘Āina Keepers is a life skills and job training program Goodwill provides for interested developmentally disabled adults who are tasked with taking on the important task of graffiti removal.

Hilo Community Policing Section and ‘Āina Keepers have collaborated for many years to remove the unwanted tags and street art while maintaining a clean, welcoming environment in downtown Hilo for residents and visitors alike.

“I look forward to working with downtown businesses and the ‘Āina Keepers going forward with future cleanup efforts,” Willing added.