Officially established on January 22, 1932, the Honolulu Police Department is one of the most storied Police Commissions in the United States. Hawaii is a state comprised of islands which have been divided among four counties, with each county responsible for its own police force. This delegation of authority dates back to the Hawaiian monarchy. In 1846 King Kamehameha III approved the Act to Organize the Executive Departments of the Government, essentially laying the groundwork for what would become the Honolulu Police Department. The Honolulu Police Department is responsible for approximately 600 square miles of paradise, the safety of nearly 1 million residents, and over 4 million annual visitors.