Police have begun an investigation into allegations that about 100 Honolulu police officers illegally manipulated the department's computer system to sign up for highly sought special-duty jobs.

The investigation focuses on whether officers committed the crime of unauthorized computer access in the first degree, a class-B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

Officials said the alleged manipulation of the system allowed some officers to gain unfair access to the best special-duty jobs.

"(Police) have conferred with us and they are investigating the allegations and when the investigation is completed the reports will be forwarded to our office for review and disposition," said deputy city prosecutor Christopher Van Marter.

Special-duty assignments include providing security at events and businesses and traffic control. Assignments can also include providing motorized escorts to heavy equipment being transported on a public roadway where a city or state permit is required, police said.

Some officers have alleged that other officers found a way to gain unauthorized access to a department Web site and sign up for jobs using data that had not yet been posted for all officers to view.

"The department is investigating whether the officers who signed up ahead of other officers may have committed violations," said Michelle Yu, the department's public information officer.

Honolulu police officers are allowed to work up to 20 hours of special duty a week. Patrol officers are paid $30 an hour for special-duty assignments, while sergeants and lieutenants are paid $34 an hour.

A Honolulu police recruit earns between $43,000 and $44,000 a year; a patrol officer with at least a decade of experience earns between $55,000 and $60,000 a year.

LOOPHOLE FOUND, FIXED

The department became aware of the alleged breach two weeks ago and the Internal Affairs division launched an administrative and criminal investigation. The loophole in the system was corrected 48 hours after detection, police said.

In mid-May, Honolulu police launched a pilot project using a computer system called "Cover Your Assets" that organized how officers learned about and signed up for special-duty jobs.

Initially rolled out for officers in District 3, which generally covers from Red Hill to Village Park and Waipahu, the system provided officers with log-ins and passwords. The system posted the available jobs at 8 p.m. and noon on certain days.

For 30 minutes before the jobs were posted, the system locked users out. Some jobs were posted weeks or months before they were available.

In June, the program went departmentwide.

Officers began complaining that the same officers always seemed to land the choice special-duty jobs, which promised a long block of hours as opposed to just one- or two-hour assignments, police said. Officers also noticed that some officers were getting good jobs in districts that they were not assigned to.

Complaints began pouring in to the department's Human Resources Division before a clerk found a loophole in the CYA system two weeks ago, police said.

Tenari R. Ma'afala, president of the State of Hawai'i Organization of Police Officers, said the union had not been formally notified about the probe or received any documents indicating an ongoing investigation.

"If any officers are found guilty, I feel bad for them and their families, but as police officers this (manipulation of special duty) is something we frown upon because it's not good for our entire family," Ma'afala said.