HONOLULU (KHON2) -- Two sheriff deputies on Oahu were arrested one week apart over allegations of harassment.
The State Department of Law Enforcement confirmed eight deputies in total are under investigation for other possible instances.
DLE officials said two deputies assigned to the State Capitol have been arrested for alleged racial harassment. One was taken into custody on Monday, June 18 and the second was arrested on Monday, June 25. A legal expert says it is actually a good sign.
"Even though the allegations that we don't know a whole lot about might be kind of disturbing, at the same time, it's also good to hear that that there's some action being taken in response to this complaint," legal expert Doug Chin said.
Chin said harassment can take a few forms, including physical contact, repeated and unwanted communications -- KHON2 asked when the line is crossed for racial harassment.
"The law isn't completely clear on when that line gets crossed. What it does say is it does say that there are different forms of criminal harassment, and that can include very coarse language," Chin said. "So it's not only words, but it's also how those words are used."
"Harassment is kind of like the catchall that is a lower form of criminal offense, but it catches all of these kinds of minor ways that somebody could still feel offended and it can still violate the law."
Doug Chin, legal expert
An attorney for the accused deputies said they are not making any statement. DLE officials confirmed late Monday that six other deputies are under investigation for similar accusations and more arrests could be in the works.
"It does sound like this, these harassment charges are arising from either a civil rights complaint or a workplace harassment or workplace violence type of complaint that's been raised," Chin said.
HGEA represents sheriffs and was unable to comment on Monday.