2008-05-02 Committee on People with Disabilities Minutes

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A. Mitchener stated that the requirement of the job is that two people go together. You cannot discriminate against applicants with disabilities. Modifications are made in order to make them do what is needed. She offered to provide disability or ability awareness training for the volunteer enforcement officers. J. Matsui asked about protection for the volunteer enforcement officers. Sergeant K. Kaaumoana-Matsumoto said that it is recommended that the volunteers partner up and go together. If there is some type of a confrontation with a person, the volunteer should call police dispatch and they will send a police officer down. In addition, the volunteer enforcement officers wear identification and they also have a t-shirt which identifies the program. Sergeant K. Kaaumoana-Matsumoto stated that it’s not necessary that the volunteer enforcement officers have to issue a citation. She spoke to a volunteer officer and she said that they will try to talk to people first before taking out their citation book. They try to speak to the violators to educate them first. A. Mitchener pointed out that she worked really hard to get this service going. Part of the goal was to make it a deputy position so people could do citations. People who are parking in an accessible parking space parking illegally is against the law. There is a fine. If they don’t have a placard and if they don’t have a reason to park there, then they are breaking the law and they need to be ticketed. People with disabilities have fought for this issue for a long time. To discount it is really hard because it doesn’t serve those who really need it. A person who gets a ticket for $500 is not going to park there again. She feels very strongly that the volunteer enforcement officers have been set up to issue citations and they should continue to enforce it. M. Gleason stated that MCPD has fought hard for this program and the committee used some of their budget to purchase supplies for the volunteer enforcement officers. Education is important and MCPD should also concentrate on getting enforcement for East Hawaii. T. Spinola-Campbell reported that DCAB made four public service announcements on accessible parking which they played in one of the movie theatre chain for about a month. She has been unsuccessful with having the announcement broadcast on Na Leo ‘O Hawaii. She suggested that MCPD bring forward the public service announcement to one of the movie theatre chains or try to have the Police Department air the announcement. M. Gleason offered to pursue this issue through the county administration since MCPD’s duty is to advise the Mayor. M. Gleason asked if there are going to be any other effort to recruit more volunteers. MCPD may be able to support some advertising, training, and supplies. Sergeant K. Kaaumoana-Matsumoto said not in the near future because they will work on the candidates they have right now. 3