REP GOEAC 032 2025-04-01 2024-2026

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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DATE: April 1, 2025 PLACE: Council Chambers Hilo, Hawaii TIME: 9:01 a.m. Council Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Re: Comm. No. 180/Res. No. 104-25 Your Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs, to which was referred Resolution No. 104-25, reports as follows: Resolution No. 104-25, transmitted by Director of Finance Diane Nakagawa via Communication No. 180, dated March 13, 2025, authorizes the Mayor to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to support their continued cooperation with the Hawaii Police Department (HPD) for the safety of the County of Hawaii. Resolution No. 104-25 authorizes the Hawaii Police Department to enter into an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to continue inter -agency collaboration to identify and target for prosecution criminal enterprise groups responsible for drug trafficking and money laundering. Police Captain Edwin Buyten and Deputy Police Captain Erich Jackson of the Vice Division were present in the Kona Chambers to discuss the MOU. Captain Buyten said that this is an agreement with the FBI that focuses on drug trafficking, drug distribution, and criminal enterprise. Captain Buyten said that the FBI supports the Hawaii Police Department with training and resources. Committee Chair Jenn Kagiwada mentioned that Committee Members had received a confidential copy of the MOU and suggested that if anyone had specific questions on the MOU they should enter executive session. Committee Member Michelle Galimba stated that executive session was not necessary, and this MOU had many specific clauses that she would have liked to see in other MOUs that have come before them. Committee Member Rebecca Villegas agreed that the language was clear in this MOU, and she would be supporting it. GOEAC Report No. 32