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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0749.037 1998-2000 MY NAME IS SIDNEY A. HAYAKAWA AND I AM SUBMITTING WRITTEN TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF HAWAII COIIt ,tOONCIL 1AMEFTING FEDERAL FUNDS TO ERADICATE MARIJUANA ON HAWAII COUNTY. I HAVE BEEN IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSION FOR OVER THRITY YEARS. DURING THIS TIME, I HAVE PROVIDED TESTIMONY ON VARIOUS LAW ENFOCEMENT ISSUES BEFORE YOU. TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED DIRECTLY TO THE ISSUE AT HAND. IF THE HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL DOES NOT ACCEPT FUNDING FOR MARIJUANA ERADICATION THE FOLLOWING CONSEQUENCES MAY DEVELOP: 1. BY NOT ACCEPTING FUNDING TO SUPPORT AERIAL SURVEILLANCE AND THE ERADICATION OF MARIJUANA IN HAWAII COUNTY, THE HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT (HCPD) WILL BE FORCED TO REVERT BACK TO OLD ENFORCEMENT METHODS AND TECHNIQUES. BASCIALLY, RELYING ON INFORMANT AND/OR CITIZEN INFORMATION REGARDING THE ILLEGAL CULTIVATION OF MARIJUANA AND TO CONDUCT FOOT OR VEHICLE SURVEILLANCE OF SECLUDED MOUNTAINOUS LOCATIONS WHERE MARIJUANA CULTIVATORS NORMALLY GROW THEIR ILLEGAL PRODUCT. BOTH METHODS WOULD BE TOO TIME CONSUMING, COSTLY, AND VERY UNPRODUCTIVE. 2. MARIJUANA CULTIVATORS WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SITUATION AND MARIJUANA CULTIVATION WILL FLOURISH IN HAWAII COUNTY. 3. TO COMPOUND THIS SITUATION, THE OTHER ISLANDS WILL CONTINUE WITH AERIAL SURVEILLANCE AND ERADICATION OF MARIJUANA ON THEIR RESPECTIVE ISLANDS AND HAWAII COUNTY WILL BECOME A VERY ATTRACTIVE AREA FOR MARIJUANA CULTIVATORS TO RELOCATED TO. I UNDERSTAND THE DILEMMA THE HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL IS FACED WITH ON THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT THE HCPD SHOULD NOT BE PENALIZED IN THIS SITUATION. HCPD IS DOING WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES THEM TO DO, AND THE DOMESTIC CANNABIS ERADICATION/SUPPRESSION PROGRAM IS A VERY EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT WAY TO ERADICATE MARIJUANA AND ARREST OFFENDERS. Comm. No. 7119' a7 Pile No. r Ref. To- 607t hu/- Ref. Date'& 2 4 21W TESTIMONY OF SIDNEY A. HAYAKAWA PAGE 2 ON MANY OCCASIONS WE HAVE ENGAGED IN LENGHTY DEBATES ON MARIJUANA. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A CHANGE IN SOCIETY'S OUTLOOK ON MARIJUANA AND AS A RESULT A RESEARCHERS PERMIT WAS ISSUED TO CULITVATE HEMP ON OAHU, AND A STATE BILL ON MEDICIAL MARIJUANA HAS BEEN ENACTED. HOWEVER, THE CULTIVATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF MARIJUANA IS STILL ILLEGAL. I STRONGLY URGE THE HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL TO ACCEPT THE FUNDING AND ALLOW THE HCPD TO DO THEIR JOB.