CHC 1979-01-16 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I would like to thank all of you and I'm prepared, as I believe these two gentlemen are, to answer any questions that this com- mission may have. MR. SCHUTTE: Mr. Chairman, I have a question. Under Section 7-2. 7 , administrative supervision, this is the same thing that I was questioning, I think we discussed as far as the liquor control board is concerned. The charter sets up a commission to take politics out of these three agencies and yet the cover-all is Section 7-2. 7 which says administrative supervision shall come under the general supervision and control of the mayor. This I believe is what we were talking about in the liquor control section. I noticed that every one of these three section 7 ' s contain same administrative supervision laws. Second question, the commission, as set up the mayor, what is their provision? What do they do? What is their job outside of selecting the Chief of Police? Too many times we can have a commission and it gets in the way of the people that they select to do a job. I think this has been shown in the past. Itgives the Chief of Police certain powers, but what is the guideline for the commission. Where does their power end? Now these three, the liquor control, the police department, the department of personnel services, as Akira mentioned, they were set up under this one section because they wanted to take politics out of these particular agencies. Yet, we have a tie-in on the bottom of which puts it right back into it. Where is the guideline to the commission? Any of you have any answers to that, yet? MR. RICHARDS: Mr. Vice Chairman, taken from the statutes, Revised Laws of Hawaii, the jobs, so-to-speak, of the police commission are as follows, as I understand them. No. 1, is to appoint or remove the chief of police; No. 2, enact rules and regulations governing the appointment of police officers, rules and regulations governing probationary appointments and rules and regulations governing suspension or dismissal of an employee, in addition, the police commission may abolish a position or an office and determine the layoff procedure upon that abolishment; No. 3, the police commission may approve appointments of police instructors; No. 4, the police commission shall hold hearings on complaints; No. 5, the police commission shall delineate the duties of the Chief of Police; No. 6, the police commission shall review the organization of the police department;'+ and 1No. 7, the police commission shall receive, review and question reports from the chief. ) Mr. Vice Chairman, does that answer your question? MR. SCHUTTE: Yes, it does. What you' re saying is that the police commission obviously stands on top of the chief of police at all times and he can be removed regardless of the position of the mayor. Is that correct? - 14 -