2024-11-15 Police Commission Regular Minutes

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Hawai'i Police Commission Regular Session Minutes November 15, 2024 Page 2 Chair Robinson inquired about crime statistics for Area I and Area 11. Assistant Chief Quiocho provided an overview of the Police Department's historical context and current structure, highlighting that each area is overseen by a different assistant chief. As the assistant chief for Area 1, he noted that addressing questions specific to Area I I could be challenging. The discussion also covered topics such as crime prosecution, the number of crimes relative to the population, and the officer-to-community ratio. • Traffic Report: Major Shopay reported there were 321 traffic crashes this fiscal year, compared to 271 last year. Traffic fatalities are at five, compared to five the previous year. DUI arrests are at 320 compared to 307. In October 2024, there were 62 DUI arrests, compared to 89 in September. In October 2024, 4,708 citations were issued, including 3,285 for moving/regulatory violations, 284 for seat belt violations, 19 for child restraint violations, and 1,044 for speeding. There was further discussion regarding an influx of people in Kona last month for a large event, possibly contributing to an increase in citations. Vice Chair Bertsch offered further context regarding the aggregation of the statistics. Commissioner Lacerte inquired about the timing of receiving reports, noting that sometimes there isn't enough time to review them before the meeting. Chair Robinson expressed a preference for receiving the reports along with the meeting packets, which would require Ms. Correa to obtain them earlier. While acknowledging that she had emailed the reports before the meeting, Chair Robinson pointed out that they were not included in the packets. Ms. Correa explained that packets are sent out a week before the meeting, and if she doesn't receive the reports in time, she emails them to the commission and provides hard copies at the meeting. Chair Robinson emphasized that he prefers reviewing hard copies over reading the reports on a screen. Major Shopay addressed concerns about homeless encampments and drug activity at the Old Airport Park, which are limiting public use of the space. Community policing officers are actively working to reunify individuals with their families, facilitating 133 reunifications over the past year. Recent activities in downtown Kailua brought an influx of housing-challenged individuals, some of whom moved to quieter areas like the park. Officers, in collaboration with prosecutors and the Department of Public Works, have faced challenges with legal issues around trespassing notices and arrests. Efforts continue to find permanent or transitional housing, with a cleanup scheduled for next week. Despite these efforts, the issue persists, moving from one area to another, and posing ongoing challenges for law enforcement and the community. Commissioner Lacerte noted positive feedback about a designated space for the homeless in Hilo and asked if Kona has a similar option. Major Shopay explained that while Kona has open spaces, high real estate costs make it challenging for the county to acquire suitable properties. He added that while there may be unused county-owned