2010-02-19 Police Commission Minutes

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Hawaii Police Commission Regular Session Minutes February 19, 2010 Page 3 • Personnel (Including, but not limited to work and training assignments, promotions, reallocations, severance from service, automobile allowances, and appointments.) Major Paul Kealoha reported that five sergeants were recently promoted. A new recruit class will start on March 1. At that time they will be 100% filled. They are status quo on the civilian staff. Deputy Chief Ferreira stated that they are in the process of requesting to fill the Kona Major's position. • Finance: Major Kealoha summarized the written report. Chief Kubojiri stated that they are working with county administration on overtime issues. One example is large overtime because of the lava flow in Kalapana. Overtime has been reduced, but they don't want to compromise safety. Some officers depend on overtime to make ends meet, and there is some degree of morale problems. That is one subject area that they have discussed with the officers when they go to the districts. Their basic message is that overtime has to be approved. They will abide contractually and by the G.O.s. In the past they had a lot of vacancies, so there was a lot of overtime. The vacancies are no longer there, and that reduces overtime. Commissioner Ignacio encouraged them to look at this scuttle butt and look at morale and services. Chief Kubojiri stated that they are looking at cutting the police commission's contractual budget in half. • Commendations: Chief Kubojiri reported receiving eleven commendations since the last meeting. • Other Departmental Activities: Chief Kubojiri stated that they are still exploring areas for a location of the Kea`au police station. They need a lot more room than the current one with the courthouse space. Recess was called at 10:06. The meeting reconvened at 10:30 a.m. STATEMENTS ON COMPLAINTS GEORGE KLARE (Complaint HPC 09 -17) read his letter to the commission dated February 12, 2010, a copy of which was received for filing. He stated that it seems that Peaceful Sky has to go elsewhere to find remedy. GREG FURER (Complaint HPC 10 -05) stated that when he approached the officer, he indicated that the truck driver was going 45 mph. He thought the bicyclist was going to be dead. The officer yelled at him and told him to get back in his car. He asked the officer to speak to the bicyclist. The officer spoke to the tow truck driver and shook his hand. He wanted to make a report to an unbiased officer and told the officer that he didn't want to make the report to him. He made a report with another officer. he observed the officer speaking to the bicyclist and the tow truck driver.