2001-05-18 Police Commission Minutes

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Regular Session Minutes May 18, 2001 Page 5 (Basque) down. The officer told him that if he didn't shut up, he would punch him. The officer asked him if he wanted to fight, as did another officer. He wanted to settle the matter with the other party, the owner of the Corvette that he hit, but they called the police. He thinks it was because the other party wanted a police report. Complainant's Uncle Willie Kaluna gave a statement as a witness. Stated that he did not see the officer put Basque down. No one witnessed this. Basque was arrested for DUI. Commissioner Mills stated that he was totally confused as to this meeting's procedures. They are taking statements now and later will go into executive session to discuss the complaints again. They are not finishing each complaint before moving on to the next. The complainants are also naming officers in public and he is concerned that they are violating the rights of the police officers. Corporation Counsel Ashida stated that they are not violating their rights. People are speaking at their own risk if they say something libelous or slanderous. His responsibility is to ensure the spirit of the Sunshine Law and to protect the interest of the County of Hawaii and the Police Commission to assure that the commission does not engage in any conduct or dissemination of any information which would make the county liable. If the public comes up and says something that is libelous and scandalous, they do so at their own risk. He advised the commission not to mention the officer's name. The officer is given the option to be heard in either open or executive session. In these cases, they will hear the officer's side in executive session. Correspondence 67, request for reconsideration of HPC 00 -42: Commissioner Lambeth moved to reconsider the complaint. The motion was seconded by Vice Chair Manago and unanimously carried. PEGGY SAUNDERS came before the commission and spoke on her Complaint HPC 01 -16. She stated that her daughter was picked up for drinking in a public place. She was not called. The police asked her intoxicated daughter for her mother's number. She probably gave them a wrong number. They allowed her to call someone that she said was her uncle, and then released her to him. This was a 40 -year old man who is chasing her daughter around, and she either went home with him or back to the party. Her daughter said she tried to call, but it didn't go through. To allow a drunken 17 -year old to say anybody is her uncle and then let her go seems to be a very poor way to handle teenagers. This was very inappropriate. This seems to be a procedural problem. The officer told her he tried to call, but the call didn't go through, and her daughter told him she would call her uncle. Lunch recess was called at 12:15 p.m. The meeting reconvened at 1:32 p.m. Corporation Counsel thanked the public for returning. He explained that when the commission follows the agenda, a lot is based upon his recommendation to them. He advised the commission on the procedures to follow.