2004-03-19 Police Commission Minutes

Home

HAWAII COUNTY POLICE COMMISSION REGULAR SESSION MINUTES MARCH 19, 2004 HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL ROOM CALL TO ORDER Chair Hara called the meeting to order at 9:04 a.m. ROLL CALL Present: Horace S. Hara Also Present: Dwight K. Manago, Vice Chair John M. Bertsch, Member Paul M. de Silva, Member James A. Frazier, Member Pudding Lassiter, Member Betsy Mitchell, Member Walter Moe, Member Peter P. Muller, Member A quorum was present. Harry Kubojiri, Deputy Chief Charles Chai, Assistant Chief James Day, Major Paul Ferreira, Captain Henry Tavares, Captain Lincoln Ashida, Corporation Counsel Josie Pelayo, Secretary Chair Hara introduced incoming Commissioner Kathleen "Pudding" Lassiter of Council District 1 who replaced Phoebe Lambeth. Chair Hara presented certificates of appreciation from Mayor Kim to outgoing commissioners Phoebe Lambeth and Walter Moe for their service on the commission. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Vice Chair Manago motioned to approve the agenda. Commissioner Muller seconded the motion. Discussion: Commissioner Frazier asked to add Complaint HPC 03 -24 and Correspondence 04 -1.1, Corporation Counsel's response to 04 -1 onto the agenda. Corporation Counsel Ashida explained that HPC 03 -24 was an older investigation in which the officer and the complainant had previously come before the commission. The investigator recently completed the investigation, and it is his last case under the contract. The motion carried unanimously with the addition of HPC 03 -24 and 04 -1.1. STATEMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS - Open to the public Corporation Counsel Ashida explained that the commission would be going into executive or closed session for testimony on Correspondence 04 -1 for two reasons. One because of a pending lawsuit against an officer and the county and two because the commission would be directing questions to him, their attorney. NELLIE FEJERAN (Complaint HPC 03 -36) came before the commission and stated that during the incident, she wasn't near the DUI roadblock. She reversed to Verna's Drive -In and parked her truck because she had previously gone through the roadblock and didn't want to go through it again. At the station she asked Officer Mahuna why her truck was towed, and he told her that someone left it unattended. She asked him if it was illegal to park a vehicle. She told the officer that she was the driver of the vehicle, and he told her that she was lying. She did not reverse in a reckless manner. The officer told her it might