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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0483.000 2024-2026C. Kimo Alameda, Ph.D. Mayor William V. Brilhante Jr. Managing Director August 13, 2025 County of Hawail POLICE DEPARTMENT 349 Kapi`olani Street • Hilo, Hawaii 96720-3998 (808) 935-3311 Fax (808) 961-2389 Benjamin T. Moszkowiez Police Chief Reed K. Mahuna Deputy Police Chief M. Dr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Council Chair and Members of the Hawaii County Council Hawaii County Council v 25 Aupuni Street i Hilo, HI 96720 RE: AGREEMENT WITH THE STATEWIDE MULTI -JURISDICTIONAL DRUG TASK FORCE (SMDTF) Enclosed is a resolution to enter into an agreement with the Statewide Multi -Jurisdictional Drug Task Force (SMDTF). The agreement is in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), with its purpose to interdict drugs within the State of Hawaii via apprehension and arrest of individuals smuggling and distributing illicit narcotics into and the State. Also enclosed is a copy of the previous MOU for reference. If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (808) 961-2261 or Sherry.Bird@hawaiipolice.gov. Sincerely, HERRY . IRD ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF Enc. 4,4s.303-25> Comm. N Ref. To: Ref. Date, %AU2 7 2025 "Hawai'i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer" STATEWIDE MULTI -JURISDICTIONAL DRUG TASK FORCE (SMDTF) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ARTICLE I This memorandum of understanding (hereinafter "MOU") shall pertain to the organization known as the STATEWIDE MULTI -JURISDICTIONAL DRUG TASK FORCE (hereinafter "SMDTF"). This MOU is made and entered into by and between the Hawaii Police Department (hereinafter "I-iCPD"), the Maui Police Department (hereinafter "MPD"), the Honolulu Police Department (hereinafter'TIPD"), the Kauai Police Department (hereinafter "KPD"), and the Department of Public Safety, Narcotics Enforcement Division (hereinafter "NED") ARTICLE II PURPOSE There is evidence that crystal methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, marijuana (and its derivatives), pharmaceuticals and other illicit drugs have increased in supply, purity (in most applications), and demand on all islands in the State of Hawaii. These types of narcotics are imported into the State via air freight/commercial, postal/parcel service, marine smuggling methods and body carrying. The great demand for narcotics on an island chain accessible only by airplane or marine craft has created a network of smugglers. Drugs are transported through the following modes: commercial and private air transportation (passengers, baggage, and freight); commercial and private marine transportation (passengers, freight, and containers); federal and private postal services; and intra-island land transportation. Club drugs have also appeared on every island. With the proliferation of Rave Parties, it is suspected that the demand for club drugs such as ecstasy will increase. This in turn will have a direct correlation to the increase of supplies. Marijuana continues to be cultivated throughout the state, and is distributed within the state and shipped to out of state destinations. Although Marijuana can legally be obtained, Marijuana from foreign countries, and the U.S. mainland continues to and increasingly finds its way to Hawaii due to the reduced black market costs of Marijuana and Marijuana derivatives. The purpose of the SMDTF is to create a cooperative effort to interdict drugs within the state of Hawaii via apprehension, and arrest of individuals smuggling and distributing illicit narcotics into and throughout the State. The objective of the SMDTF is to form a task force comprised of officers from I-IPD, MPD, HCPD, KPD, and NED. The task force will also work in conjunction with the Hawaii National Guard, the Hawaii High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (I-IIDTA) coalition, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. I ARTICLE III AREA.OF OPERATION The primary area of operation for the SMDTF shall be the four counties of Maui, Hawaii, Oahu, and Kauai. The SMDTF shall focus on mid -level and high-level narcotics dealers. This does not preclude the SMDTF from investigating drugs being shipped into and out of Hawaii. ARTICLE IV 1 OPERATIONS The lead agency and facilitator shall be the MPD's Nice Narcotics Unit located at the Maui Police Department in Wailuku, Maui, under the direction of the Captain of the Vice Division. The respective jurisdictions shall also maintain a location within their respective departments for the officers who are assigned to the SMDTF. STRUCTURAL COMMAND The SMDTF personnel shall come under the direct command of their respective departments with'the MPD'Vice Division Captain serving as a liaison among police departments and appropriate county,_ state, and federal agencies. PERSONNEL The SMDTF shall be staffed by local officers of the various participating county and state law enforcement agencies as directed by each agency's Chief of Police. The officers will work together on a task force in joint narcotics investigations whenever practicable to accomplish the objectives of the SMDTF. Each respective agency shall provide the necessary support staff, including but not limited to, secretaries, data processors, intelligence research analysts, and equipment technicians as needed by the agency to conduct their -investigations. In accordance with Section 52D-5 of -the Hawaii Revised Statutes, the four county Police Chiefs coupled with the Chief of the State Narcotics Enforcement Division concur and authorize all sworn Law Enforcement Officers to enforce applicable Hawaii Revised Statutes in all four counties (Hawaii County, Maui County, Kauai County, and Oahu) when they are acting in an official capacity while participating in an approved task force operation. Enforcement of SMDTF operations will fall under this section. OVERTIME SALARIES & WORKERS COMPENSATION All ,personnel assigned to the SMDTF shall have their salaries paid by their respective parent agencies. All overtime incurred by the personnel assigned to the SMDTF shall be paid by their respective parent agencies. In the event an officer is injured while on duty, workers compensation claims will be handled by the resp,ective,ofncer's employer. TRAVEL All travel costs for officers traveling to another island or jurisdiction to include air fare, ground transportation, and per diem shall be encumbered by their respective departments unless otherwise agreed upon by the respective Chiefs of Police. EQUIPMENT i All personnel assigned to the SMDTF shall be provided with all necessary equipment by their respective agencies to accomplish the objectives of the. SIVIDTF. A11 personnel assigned to the SMDTF :shall be qualified with their firearms by their respective departments. USE10F FORCE Personnel assigned to a SMDTF operation shall follow their respective department's Use of Force policy unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by the respective Chiefs of Police. INTARCOTIC CA- INE TEAM All Narcotic Canine teams shall have a minimum of sixteen (16) hours of training a month, and be recertified annually. All training records shall be maintained on a monthly basis. UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS/INVESTIGATIONS All officers being utilized in an undercover capacity shall follow their respective department's undercover officer policies (i.e., General Orders, Standard Operating Procedures, etc.). The following are examples of procedural situations that the undercover officer may encounter in the course of his/her assignment. This list just serves as an example and isn't meant to be all inclusive: 1) being armed or unarmed during undercover operations, 2) utilizing body wires, or not, 3) turning over evidence to an officer in charge as opposed to a supervisor, 4) utilizing audio and/or visual signals for officer in distress, 5) in the case of a confidential informant introduction, can the informant come into contact with evidence or not, etc. Note; It shall be the responsibility of each participating Law Enforcement Agency serving on this task force to apprise and update their respective commands with regards to operations/investigations occurring within their respective jurisdictions, and to apprise and update their respective commands when their personnel are participating in operations/investigations in other jurisdictions. ARTICLE VI MISCELLANEOUS Any and all property, equipment, fiirniture, furnishing, of whatever, kind or description, purchased or acquired with Byrne Memorial/Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) funds shall be the property of the Department of the Attorney General, State of Hawaii, until such time as title of the property is, officially transferred to the respective agency. Any such property which is damaged, broken, misplaced, lost, or stolen, through negligence or wrongfdl act,, shall be repaired or replaced by the responsible agency. All participating agencies will comply with the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and all requirements applicable to SMDTF agreement pursuant to the regulations of the Department of Justice (28 C.F.R. Part d2, Subparts C and G; 28 C.F.R. 50.3 (199:1) issued pursuant to Title VI relating to discrimination on the grounds of race; color, sex, age, national origin or handicap. STATE OF HAWAII �,. t Z2 � Nolah Espinda Date Director, State of Hawaii Department of Public Safety COUNT'Y OYHAWAH a DEB I � 20�9 Paul Ferreira Date Chief,&Police Hawaii County Police Department r COUNTY OF KAUAI Michael Contrades Acting Chief of Police Kauai County Police Department COUNTY OF HONOLULU A Susan Ballard Chief of Police Honalulu Police'Department COUNTY OF MA.UI lc ` Al Micb6e1 Victorino Mayor Tivoli S. Faaulp Chief of Police I Maui Police Department 3 APPROVED AS TO FORM AND 'LEGALITY r- J rr e eppar WNW Corporation Counsel tF 2017-0709 6,94.74 1.7 Date Wagh Date 31ibli j Date Da e 3jo aN q Date