2022-12-12 Police Commission Regular Minutes

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Hawaii Police Commission Special Meeting Minutes December 12, 2022 Page 16 thing. If we start that way, maybe it'll have an effect and then we'll follow up with enforcement. ➢ Paul Applegate stated he agrees with Mr. Ignacio. Staffing issues are the underlying issue here. The officers are forced to prioritize enforcement, preservation of life, and property. Enforcing the infractions that were mentioned isn't really high on that list, however, they are important. Officers may be burnt out, so he thinks to encourage this enforcement is to encourage using special projects. Have officers volunteer to work extra, so you're not forcing officers who have already been working a lot of hours. They could set projects up randomly around the island. He likes Mr. Ignacio's idea of PSAs, get it out there, and let the public know that this is a concern. Maybe with the PSAs, show examples of what the negative consequences can be with these infractions, such as rocks being kicked up from tires and cracking windshields, causing accidents. With the dark tint, it's hard to see at night. These are safety issues and if an explanation was done, along with the penalty for the infraction was given to the public, along with special projects of random enforcement, he thinks this would send the message out there that this is a concern and they need everyone's help in solving this. ➢ Sherry Bird stated as far as those safety violations such as lifted trucks and things like that, starting with an education piece for stuff letting the community know that these are violations and what constitutes the violation, the penalties, but basically using a time period where we educate the community. Most districts have district newsletters that they can put out. We could put it out as media releases and things like that and also talking about the dangers of what could happen if the rock kicks up into your windshield and things like that. Maybe move it on to a phase, she'll call it phase II where they actually do projects and go out and conduct the actual enforcement. In the education phase, they could also do projects where we do those traffic stops and educate face to face, giving them a warning. Another piece of that is we should be holding the inspection stations accountable as well. There should be a penalty for allowing these vehicles to have these safety checks if they're presented like that. Patrol officers are working very hard, they are constantly responding from call to call. She knows the districts also have district traffic plans so when they're not actually responding to a call, they are tasked with doing enforcement and being visible, trying to reduce that speed because the overall goal is to decrease traffic fatalities because none of them want to respond to those. As far as addressing those safety violations, coming up with a plan, the education she feels always comes first, communicating with the community, and then moving on to the next step for those that choose not to abide by them and then holding the inspection stations accountable.