2001-07-27 Police Commission Minutes

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HAWAII COUNTY POLICE COMMISSION MINUTES — REGULAR SESSION JULY 27, 2001 HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL ROOM, HILO CALL TO ORDER Chair Wilfred Okabe called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. ROLL CALL Present: Wilfred M. Okabe, Chair Also Present: Dwight K. Manago, Vice Chair John M. Bertsch, Member (arrived 10:18 a.m.) Daniel C. Kama, Member Phoebe M. Lambeth, Member Clarence Mills, Member Walter Moe, Member Peter P. Muller, Member Excused: A quorum was present. Lincoln Ashida, Corporation Counsel James S. Correa, Assistant Chief Thomas Hickcox, Assistant Chief Lawrence Mahuna, Assistant Chief Gary Maesato, Business Manager Josie Pelayo, Secretary Horace Hara, Member APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Commissioner Lambeth moved to add correspondence 83, which is a notice to reschedule the meeting noted in correspondence 82, onto the agenda. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Mills and unanimously carried. PUBLIC STATEMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS CORPORATION COUNSEL LINCOLN ASHIDA stated that this is an opportunity for the public to make a statement to the commission on any item listed on the agenda and is limited to five minutes pursuant to the police commission's rules. This includes items pertaining to complaints made against police officers. In a recent opinion he received from the Office of Information Practices, it is their recommendation, and it will be the practice of the Hawaii Police Commission, that they allow members of the public to present their complaint or statement in a session either open or closed to the public. The five- minute time limit will stand for either session. He further stated that he is the attorney for the police commission and in no way should his comments be construed in anyway that he represents the public. Anything that is said concerning a police officer or another person involved in a complaint against a police officer which may be considered either libelous, slanderous, or defamatory may be the subject of a lawsuit brought by an aggrieved party against the person making the statement for money or other damages. C. J. MOORE came before the commission and spoke regarding Complaint HPC 00 -25. Stated that one year ago this month she came to this commission with her complaint. Is disappointed with the investigation. Would like to know the details of the investigation and how much it cost the taxpayers. Nothing has changed in her residence. She lives next door to a police officer's property. Nothing has changed except the amount of stress. She and her tenant leave the house because of the noise coming from this property. She has been seeing a physician for the past year for stress. CORPORATION COUNSEL ASHIDA stated that the commission could ask questions now in open session or closed session. However, he recommended that if the questions included confidential matters, they should do it in executive session so as not to violate the rights of any police officer.