COM 0193.017 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MISCELLANEOUS: Legislative Proposals to improve the law Public Speaking Committee meetings/membership Networking with other agencies Public education/relations Interagency assistance Deputy prosecutors provide ongoing assistance to police by being available for after hour calls regarding potential felony criminal charging of defendants and review of search warrant affidavits. The deputy prosecutor is on-call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, to provide such legal assistance to the police. Calls from Hawaii County Police Department are received at all hours of the night. Deputy prosecutors rotate on-call duty on a weekly basis and all attorney supervisors are required to carry cell phones and remain available to the police and other deputy prosecutors for consultation on cases after hours. The number of after hour calls average ten per week with deputy prosecutors on-call approximately 600 hours per week. Deputies typically spend time beyond the normal 8 hour day to complete the work needed on their cases. The range of hours expended varies depending on the needs of the case, whether the case is in trial, trial preparation, whether witnesses can be contacted during business hours and the like. On average, the attorney's unit spends over 150 hours per week over the normal work week. Overtime hours range from 100 hours to in excess of 250 hours in any given week. Career Criminal Prog~ The concept of the Career Criminal program (CCP) in the Prosecutor's Office is contained in the findings and purpose section of Chapter 845 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes which states that "The legislature finds that a substantial and disproportionate amount of serious crime is committed against the people by a relatively small number of multiple and repeat felony offenders..." This belief is borne out in actual cases where we prosecute cazeer criminal defendants with numerous prior arrests and convictions. The State provides funding as approved by the Legislature to support CCP programs in all counties. There are currently 12 positions (attorney, clerical, investigator, legal assistant) funded by the State which is a reduction from initial funding resulting in an attorney and investigator position being left vacant. In addition, with approval from the Attorney General, the attorney positions have had to be "backfilled" so experienced deputies can be assigned to these more difftcult cases. Funds provided by the State are not sufficient to handle all of the defendants identified as career criminals, requiring assistance from other deputies to also handle CCP cases. Individuals subject to career criminal prosecution efforts as provided in Chapter 845 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes include those who: 6