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Hawaii County Police Commission <br />Regular Session Minutes <br />November 18, 2008 <br />Page 4 <br />MOJO MUSTAPHA stated that he is a medical marijuana user. They don't know their view <br />point on the propositions. Chief Mahuna said marijuana enforcement is already at the <br />lowest enforcement. He hopes the commission questions them. <br />JAMES WEATHERFORD stated that the chief of police must respect the law in our <br />democratic society. The chief has a sworn duty to abide by the mandate recently voted by <br />our democratic process. They need to establish what the highest priority is. Protection of <br />property and life must be the highest priority in making this important decision. They must <br />be sure the new chief is and remains fully committed to the highest priority of law <br />enforcement, that is, protection of life and property. <br />DESIREE CRUZ stated that she is a native Hawaiian, wife, and mother. She was <br />disappointed to see that the proposition passed. It is easy to blame the police for <br />everything, for all those woes, that they are corrupt, that they are wrong. Her husband is a <br />police officer. Someone said the chief has to have aloha. Aloha has two sides. She <br />asked the public to try to minimize the "us against them." They are neighbors. They have <br />the same goals. She knows the deputy chief and Fukui. The commission has two very <br />good candidates. However, she puts her support behind the deputy chief. <br />MICHAEL RAVENSWING, a doctor of chiropractic, asked the commission to ask the new <br />chief to make enforcement of marijuana the lowest priority. <br />WOLF DANIEL BRAUN stated that he doesn't know either candidates but hopes that the <br />one who is selected will protect his right. He is a medical marijuana user. He wants to be <br />protected from people who would steal his marijuana. He wants to be protected against <br />officers who are out of control. It is his right under the law to use cannabis. Medical <br />marijuana users should not be harassed. <br />HOWARD ROSIN stated that he is a medical marijuana user. Any chief who openly <br />disrespects the new law is a renegade. Our current chief said they will not follow the law. <br />MERRIE CHRISTINE BALL stated that a hit was put out on her by the Pahoa Weed and <br />Seed program. They have a race based entity. She is going to standup against the race <br />based entity. The two candidates are race based. <br />LEE DOLE stated that he was there to talk about the new chief. Would like to know if any <br />of the chief candidates will enforce the law. It's the responsibility of this body to vote in <br />favor of the people. This meeting was a good process, but would like to see a little more <br />and be more informed. <br />FRANKIE STAPLETON stated that she was a rookie the same time Chad Fukui was <br />rookie. She has seen him mature over the years. She has great confidence in him. Puna <br />is outpacing Hilo in population, but they don't have infrastructure. There are ways a police <br />chief can alleviate some of these problems. To understand, the chief needs to read their <br />community development plan. It gives a good picture. They are asking the police to <br />address some of their safety problems. Transportation is a big problem. Highway 130 is a <br />