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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN PSC 2020/09/15 2018-2020Committee on Public Safety 14th Session Hawaii County Building 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawai i September 15, 2020 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Public Safety was called to order ORDER: at 1:02 p.m., in the Council Chambers, Hilo, by Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Chair (via videoconference from Kona) Ms. Karen Eoff, Vice Chair (via videoconference from Kona) Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Member (via videoconference from Kona) Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Member Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Member Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Member (came in later) Mr. Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III, Member (via videoconference from Waimea) Absent & Excused: Mr. Aaron S. Y. Chung, Member Ms. Valerie T. Poindexter, Member STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, FROM THE Statements from the Public on Agenda Items. PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS: (There were none.) CHR. VILLEGAS: So, Mr. Clerk, would you mind reading in the first communication for us? COMMUNI- The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, CATIONS: Communications. Comm. 996.2: REQUESTS AN UPDATE FROM THE HAWAII POLICE DEPARTMENT REGARDING THE STATISTICS AND IDENTITIES OF CHILDREN CLASSIFIED AS RUNAWAY OR MISSING IN HAWAII COUNTY From Council Member Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, dated August 31, 2020. Motion to Close File: Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder moved to close file on Comm. 996.2. Seconded by Ms. Kierkiewicz. CHR. VILLEGAS: Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. PSC -14 September 15, 2020 MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you, Chair. Yeah, today, we have Lieutenant Finkey and Detective Kagimoto. Nice to see you gentlemen again. Just a quick update, I know you brought your report with you as well. And I appreciate this information. So does the community. And just going to say this. If this is easier to do in a report, I did ask that the first time we set up this meeting and I have yet to get one, except from yourself, which I appreciate. But if that makes this easier and doesn't use your time, when we get a little bit more efficient, I'm totally open to that. And I have asked the Chief that as well. So if that's something you want to pass on to him in your time, feel free. So we don't have to do this anymore. But we just get a report, that's all I was asking for. So go ahead today and keep that in mind. (Note: At this time, Police Lieutenant Sandor Finkey and Detective Gavin Kagimoto came forward to address the members of the Committee.) LT. FINKEY: Okay, yeah, currently we have a total of 16 active runaways; one missing child. The missing child is Benny Rapoza. He went missing last year in December. For Area I, which encompasses Hamakua, Hilo and Puna, we have a male 16, he's a repeat runaway; a male 17, repeat runaway, and a female 17 who's not a repeat runaway. And Area II, which encompasses Ka`u, Kona, South Kohala and North Kohala we have a female 17 which is not a repeat; and a male 12, which is a repeat two-times runaway. For the identities of the juveniles which do have media release waivers signed, Reny Kaholo-Hiapo, male 15; Jordan Grant, male 15; Keith Fukunaga, male 15; Malahiki Ikaika Moala, male 16; Chloe Imaino, female 16; Chanastie Caitano, female 16; and Destiny Espinueva-Moreno, female 17. In Area II we have Kerri-Ann Duarte, female 13; Allanie Duarte, female 14; Treeny Shiraki, female 16; Kiana Genda, female 16. All of the Area II runaways that I named are repeat. And the only one that's not a repeat runaway from Area I is Chanastie Caitano. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Ms. Caitano, is she a new runaway or is this just a long case? How long she's been missing? LT. FINKEY: Since August I Ph. Page 2 PSC -14 September 15, 2020 MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: August I Ph, okay, almost a month or a little over a month? LT. FINKEY: And as you can see with the upper body of list or I don't know if you've already been given it, but as you can see from the list, that the majority of the open cases we have right now are repeat. That doesn't make them any less important in terms of us finding them. And we've also developed some in-service training for our patrolmen when it comes to sex -trafficking recognition for runaways, when they do contact runaways. And we'll be issuing that in the coming weeks. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Wow, you did? LT. FINKEY: Yeah, we've done it. Actually, Detective Kagimoto has put together a grouping of questions that we're going to be putting out to our patrol units, and they're going to be able to have this as a guide when they make contact with runaways to help them further identify possible trafficking victims. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Wow, you did that? DET. KAGIMOTO: Yes. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Oh, good job. Thank you. Because that's something that we touched on in some of our earlier discussions trying to figure out who's, you know, at risk of being trafficked, and it was beyond whether it happens or not. It's just more of how do we identify these youth that are having these kinds of issues when it can look as simple as a runaway case, but there could be more going on. But without the right questions or the right understanding of the patrol officers of what it looks like, then it's hard to recognize. That's good. Thank you. LT. FINKEY: We continue to work hard, trying to get better at what we're doing, and it's being done on a continuous basis. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Nice job, gentlemen. I appreciate that. That's important. Okay, so total active cases right now is 16? LT. FINKEY: Yes. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: And then, what's our total for the year right now? LT. FINKEY: I'll have to email you that. I don't have that with me right now. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, shoot me that in an email, please. And then I appreciate this. And of course, you know, if this is easier to do just in Page 3 PSC -14 September 15, 2020 a very simple emailed report once a month, then I'm okay with that. That's what I asked for in the beginning, but it wasn't able to be given at that time. So I will leave that at your discretion to follow-up with your superiors, but I did try. LT. FINKEY: Okay. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. I appreciate the information. I yield for now if anyone else has a question. CHR. VILLEGAS: Any questions there in Hilo? MS. LEE LOY: Yes, Chair. Please. CHR. VILLEGAS: I'm sorry, was that Ms. Lee Loy? MS. LEE LOY: Yeah. CHR. VILLEGAS: Okay, great. Go ahead. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you, Chair. Lieutenant Finkey, thank you. And then following up on, you know, a written report. I think that would be helpful. And I say that because you described Area I and Area IL I think in the written report, defining those boundaries is also helpful for us as Council Members kind of representing those respective areas. So I know for you folks the vernacular is just something commonly used every single day, but for other people who are just trying to track the information, I think having some of that backdrop information about Area I covers, you know, Ka`u all the way to Waimea or whatever, I think that stuff would also be incredibly helpful in a written report. LT. FINKEY: I'll definitely include that in the next report. MS. LEE LOY: Yeah, you guys have your own vernaculars, so that would be my only request with the written report. Thank you, Chair. I yield. CHR. VILLEGAS: Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. Anyone else? Mr. Richards, you are the tiniest little square on the screen I can see, so I just want to make sure that I don't miss anything if you'd like to share something. MR. RICHARDS: Thank you, Rebecca. But no, if I need to speak I will yell out. CHR. VILLEGAS: Okay, great. Thank you. Anyone on this side? Okay, all those in favor of closing file on Communication 996.2, please say "aye." Page 4 PSC -14 September 15, 2020 Vote on Comm. 996.2: The motion to close file on Comm. 996.2 was carried by Filed the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members David, Eoff, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Lee Loy, Richards, and Chair Villegas — 7. Noes: None. Absent: Council Members Chung and Poindexter — 2. Excused: None. CHR. VILLEGAS: Mr. Clerk, could you please read in Communication 1069? Comm. 1069: REQUESTS A DISCUSSION WITH HAWAII RAINBOW RANGERS REGARDING THE NEWLY AWARDED ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES CONTRACT AND ITS TRANSITION FROM HAWAII ISLAND HUMANE From Council Member Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, dated August 27, 2020. Motion to Close File: Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder moved to close file on Comm. 1069. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. CHR. VILLEGAS: Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. MR. KANEALII-KLEINFELDER: Due to some changes in personnel in Hawaii Rainbow Rangers in the last three days, I need to postpone this communication until the next meeting, which would be October 6h, at the next Public Safety meeting. Vote on Motion Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder moved to postpone to Postpone: Comm. 1069 to October 6, 2020. Seconded by (Approved) Ms. Lee Loy and carried by the following voice vote. Ayes: Committee Members David, Eoff, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Lee Loy, Richards, and Chair Villegas — 7. Noes: None. Absent: Council Members Chung and Poindexter — 2. Excused: None. ORDER OF The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, RESOLUTIONS: Order of Resolutions. (There were none.) Page 5 PSC-14 September 15,2020 BILLS FOR The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, ORDINANCES: Bills for Ordinances. (There were none.) CHR. VILLEGAS: Can I have a motion to adjourn? ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 1:14 p.m., Ms. David moved to adjourn MENT: the meeting. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members David, Eoff, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Lee Loy, Richards, and Chair Villegas— 7. Noes: None. Absent: Council Members Chung and Poindexter—2. Excused: None. CHR. VILLEGAS: Meeting is adjourned. Approved: October 1, 2020 t Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Chair (Date) Public Safety Committee RV/dt Page 6