U.S, Jan. 18 -- Waikiki's public-safety story has been getting brighter: officials and business leaders point to falling crime in key categories and a multi-agency program meant to keep repeat offenders out of the visitor district. But at the same time, Waikiki is moving deeper into a policing model built around always-on surveillance - fixed cameras, real-time access to private security feeds, license-plate readers, and potentially drones deployed to incidents before officers arrive.

The result is a growing disconnect: If crime is down, why expand surveillance? A review of reporting, agency statements, and comparable programs in other tourism-heavy cities suggests the answer has less to do with a sudden crime spike and more to do with e...