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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0125.040 2024-2026Patti Cook Box 6960 — Kamuela, HI 96743 cookshi aol.com * 808-937-2833 April 1, 2025 The Honorable Holeka Inaba and Members Hawai'i County Council , .. Meeting: Wednesday, April 2, 2025 — 9AM Re: Proposed Amendments to Res. 74-25 Dated March 31, 2025 Res. 74-25: AUTHORIZES THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS WITH FEDERAL AND STATE PARTNERS TO SUPPORT THEIR CONTINUED COOPERATION WITH THE HAWAI'I POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE SAFETY OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAI'I Aloha — I'm Patti Cook from Waimea. This is the third time to speak to this proposed resolution by the Hawaii County Council —this time to say: No, Yes and please consider something more to protect all of our Hawai'I Island community in this challenging time for our county, state and country. As shared before, I absolutely support our Hawai'i County Police Department being able and pro -active in partnering with relevant federal agencies on matters related to public safety — such as trafficking humans, drugs, firearms, fireworks ... as well as serious crimes, cybercrime and other Charter and County ordinance matters. do not support the County of Hawai'i entering into agreements that will involve our respected police department in immigration/deportation matters. Knowing however that there is a serious (disturbing) push from related federal agencies to authorize the County entering into three MOUs, my comments today include: 1) Please do not approve the County entering into the MOU agreement referenced here that would enable the designation of Hawai'i Police Department Employees as Customs Officers: '\lcniorandtnn of C:nderstaniling hct,�%cc:°n (' S Iaam"ii+gration :and Custom 1111'orc�2mc at tWL) Honicl;anclSccaIMN In%c:sti 4anons and the flaktaci Policc Dcpartmcnt rc xiarding the Dcsign ation of 1 la�k jai' i Police Dc artment I rnplo cc:, as Gai,tonas Otf iccns d inc:IaiCIML, IC"I [Orm \ While there is something to be said for HSI training HPD in customs enforcement to slow down the flow of illegal hard drugs and trafficking of people, given the times, there is a clear possibility this could open the door to immigration enforcement. Given the uncertainty of federal actions at this time, I urge you not to approve entering into this MOU. 2) Please do approve other proposed amendments spelled out in the March 31, 2026 letter attached, especially item #3: _ A fourth W111, C�1 :� c l�rrrsc is added as " HERE:.'��,�n.�racrof lie nicrtts cont�r¢ned rn Lxhiblt A mith rize llawal'r LI�Aic'c C c artjjr Lnt officers other D-rci-scrrrnd to tak ara�, ent orccrrlcrrt aticnn «rm;�taarst rclrt rk t trirtr�. e ,r cr tr rs �f to r ! rr�r ,r ra,to l .' ,.,..rre)N,%,J the r,efor . 1) Please consider an additional amendment to Res. 74-25 requiring HSI/ICE/FBI and related federal customs/immigration/deportation authorities to have a maximum of 4 months to relocate their employees or designated associates away from HPD facilities. Their physical presence exacerbates fear about police collusion in immigration matters within the community. I am genuinely sorry that we — the community — are forced to appear to be in any way questioning the integrity of our police department. This is NOT my intention. I — no, it's we appreciate and value the extraordinary commitment and life -threatening nature of the challenging work our police do 24/7/365 to keep us safe. But these are not ordinary times and the safety of our entire community must be prioritized, even when it's uncomfortable to do so. It's also hard to believe at this time in America's history that circumstances governed by federal agencies will improve. Thank you for your time. This is far from a one and done issue. Mahalo to each of you for your commitment to doing what's best for Hawai'i Island. A hui hou — Patti Cook 2 Hotel a Goro Inaba, Ed.1) Jennifer Kagiwada Council ChjEr, Pislricl S. Norlh Kona Fl- Council.Mcmber, Dwnct 1, 1 h10 hotA.,0nabaw hiN%wicaunty-gov Orfacc: K08,3-�1,42KO Wfikzc:� XOS 9b I 'X212 HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL C �0 rm n of Halt a; 4 Wol [I'mw ') 0114t (c f0ex, Bldg A 74 3044 Ane Ko,h, AeVoh- llwv kmNa-darn a, Hfmai) 4A7411 DATE; March 31, 20 215 M Members of the flawai'i County Council F RO NI: Holcka Coro Inaba, Council Chair Jennifcr Kagiu'ada. Council Member V sutmcr Proposed Amendnicrits to Rvsolution No. 74-25: A RESOLUTION i-\UTI-IORIZING THE NIAYOR. TO ENTER ENTO INTERGOVERNNIEN'TAL AGREEMENTS WITH FEDERAL AND STATE PARTNERS TO SUPPORT THEIR CONTINUED COOPERATION WITH THE HAWAVI POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR "HIE SAFETY (;)I,TIJE COUNTYOF HAWAI'I. Transmitted hcrevvith Lire proposed amendments to Rcsolution No. 74-25. The propowd amendments are: shown bclovv in Rarnseyer fort rat with respixt to the content of Resolution No- 74-25material to be deleted Is bracketcd and stricken. and material to be ins,cried 'is Underscored. L The second NVIJEREAS clause is amended to read as follo%vs; -WHEREAS, the I-Ijwai'i Police Department ('11PD-) dcmrcs the abilitv to enter into three Agreements -La [its- sj�)qpj)tgg.�L—h�;,tgi-t t.L-x at wHPD ill facilitate 's , N that abifily, to, sc"c and protect the County of Flauai'i through cooperative colluKiration to k%:cp our community safe, provide for the exchange of necessary infiormation with outside agencies, and other required partnerships with its State and Federal partners. artd- 1 The third 1%" I I ERE AS c la use is amended to read its folioxvs' "WHEREAS. HPI) [wil"ittothwel intends to trawsmit a -.WpIcrncntaI resolution to the, at cnewr aa m, mendrm AgpNirie"!, contained tin Exhibit A is desired by I-IPD- and'* j (d44tU &'te,M ['11111,110pportumn h-mithe w41Erqp1w,,'r .3. A fourth WHEREAS clause it; added as fallows, "WHEREAS, none of the Agreements contained in Exhibit A authorize Hawaij Police Department officers or other personnel to take anv enforcement action w-minst iidirtigiNt afive violat'ons of federal 4. The enacting clause is amended to read as follows: "BE IT RESOLVED BVTRE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTOF HAWAI-1 that, in accordance with Hawai'i Revised Statutes, Section 46-7. the Mayor of the County of Hawa1*i is kpi-Lb authorized y to execute, on behalf of the County, h both State and Fetlenti pftffne" for the pttTose tifien in# and pFoteetting in mine tal agT meiitsWith the State and Federal t7overnments as contained in Exhibit A.- 5. Resolution No. 74-25 is fartht.,r amended by substituting the content of Exhibit A with the content hereto attached and described as follows:. Memorandum of Understanding between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations and the Hawai'l Police Department regarding the Designation of Hawai'i Police Department Employees as Customs Officers (including ICE Form ..No. 73-001). Memorandum of Understanding between Hawaii Police Department and the United States Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations Honolulu regarding Embedding HSI Special Agents with the Hawaii Police Department. Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Bureau of Investigation Hawai'i Police Department regarding the Honolulu Safe 'Streets 'Task Force. A copy of the new drill of Resolution No- 74-25 that %vill result if these proposed amendments are adopted is attached. Thank you, HGI,jLK:wpb Att.