HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0521.009 2002-2004 OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
2004 - 2005 FISCAL YEAR
The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney has submitted a budget and supplemental
requests that will enable us to carry out our mission of "pursuing justice with integrity
and commitment". As shown in the chart below, referrals have increased from 14,261 in
1995 to 20,120 in 2003, an increase of 41 County funded operating expenses have
increased in recent years and only in the current fiscal year has exceeded funding
provided in 1995. A large portion of the increase in the current fiscal year is for the
migration of our case tracking system from the Wang computer system to a PC based
system. The actual operating budget of $747,870 is a 6% increase of funding over 1995.
RKLVggCi
ryew__-.~~iloYy
FISCAL YEARS 1995 - 2003
~,~S~pp~.s
$1,000,000 r7 1-'~ - 25,000
$950,000 - 21,650 '22000 22,500
20,834',, 20,800', 20,500,
19,755 20,120
$900,000 - - 20,000
$867,870',
$850,000 ~ ',15,866'i 116,35 17,500
$800,000 14,261 it 15,000
$750,000 ~ 12,500
x$716,786
$703,600 '
$700,000 I $664,500 ~ ?i~ 10,000
$671,915
$650,000 ~ ! $636,049 - 7,500
' $607,400 ~~I $60Q,295 ~ $598,842 $598,642
$600.000 ~ ,k - 5.000
r
$550,000 - ~ " ~ 2,500
ie ~
$500,600 - _ i 6
94-95 95-96 96-97 97-98 98-99 99-00 00-07 01-02 02-03 03-04 est.
D Operating +Referrals
' Operating expenses $747,870 + Migration expenses $120,000 = $867,870
Our budget request of $5,700,433 includes $1,750,000 from federal sources
(31 $200,000 from federal and state forfeitures and $3,750,433 (67%) from general
funds. In addition, we submitted supplemental requests totaling $416,186 which includes
$145,570 for positions, $20,000 for anticipated overtime, $112,800 for management
information system improvements, $30,000 to replace five-yeaz old personal computers,
$60,000 to replace three ounty vehicles, and $25,000 to provide our deputies with laptop
Comm. No. 5
Ref. To: ProsbliN~d G
t Ref. Date
AR~2~nne
computers. Among these supplemental requests, our priorities for additional funding are:
an administrative assistant to assist in maintaining personnel records and to assist the
fiscal section with recordkeeping and reporting for federal and state grants and two lega]
clerk III to start in March 2005 to provide clerical support for the drug prosecution
deputies in East and West Hawaii.
We have continued to proactively seek federal and state funding that support the
main focus areas of the Office - 1) core prosecution and victim services, 2) improvement
to the criminal justice system and 3) community initiatives to promote crime prevention
through education and collaboration. Our current state and federal funded programs
include: Career Criminal (CCP), Victim/Witness Assistance(VW), Victims of Crime Act
(VOCA), Violence Against Women Domestic Violence Prosecution (VAWA),
Community Oriented Prosecution (COP), Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant
(JAIBG) and Community Gun Violence Prosecution. Grant revenues currently account
for 35 of the 96 positions in the Office and for 31 % of the total Office budget. Continued
reduction in the State's Career Criminal and Victim-Witness funding and expected
reduction of Federal funding for VOCA and JAIBG will greatly impact the Office and the
services provided to victims and the community we serve. As necessary I will present
those and other personnel requests as caseloads increase. A balanced and long-term
effort to improve the public safety of our island must include additional staffing for this
Office.
The Office has worked actively with other public and private agencies and
community groups to collaborate on development of various grant projects. We are
currently working on obtaining Weed and Seed designation for Pahoa, and working with
the YWCA on a Rural Domestic Violence grant. We continue to coordinate the Youth
Builder initiative and work closely with the Bay Clinic's Pulama Project Youth Center.
VOCA funding for direct services to victims of crime are provided to Mothers Against
Drunk Driving, Child and Family Services, Turning Point for Families and SAVE (Sex
Assault Victim Empowerment). In addition, federal Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention Title V funds are provided to the Lanakila Learning Center and
to the Laupahoehoe Community Based Education Learning Center for juvenile
delinquency prevention programs.
As you review our budget, please consider as our policy statement the following:
• That prosecution and public safety are core functions of the County of Hawaii;
• That prosecution is law enforcement;
• That an effective Prosecutor's Office is part of providing for the safety of our
community;
• That the necessary resources will be provided to those who go face to face with
murderers, drug dealers, robbers, rapists and give support to victims of their
crimes; and
• That the laws establishing our community's norms and holding people
accountable for their actions will be fairly and effectively enforced.
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We are grateful for the support of the Council and Administration for the efforts
of our dedicated staff who strive to pursue justice every day. It is vital to this community
that we maintain our law enforcement efforts to address the myriad of problems we face
which include drugs, thefts, sexual assaults, domestic violence and juvenile crime. We
continue to work with the community in a balanced way to deal with the full spectrum of
crime and are committed to working with you toward a safer and stronger Big Island.
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OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
COUNTY OF HAWAII
The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney is the legal agency responsible for
prosecuting all violations of State and County laws, ordinances, rules and/or regulations
on behalf of the Big Island community as provided by Hawaii County Charter Article IX:
Chapter 28; H.R.S. 28-1.
Offices are located in Hilo, Kealakekua and Waimea to serve Big Island residents.
The Office is divided into five units: The Administrative Unit; Attorneys Unit; Victim
Assistance Unit; Investigative Unit; and Clerical Support Unit. Staffing includes: 61
county funded; and 35 State/Federal funded positions.
ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT
Administration: The Prosecuting Attorney, First Deputy Prosecuting Attorney and
Business Manager direct the day to day operations of the office with regard to managing
the legal, fiscal, personnel, equipment and facilities maintenance of the operation and
coordinating staff meetings, training and other administrative services.
Secretarial Services: This section provides clerical support to Administration and
assists in the day to day operations of the office.
Fiscal Services: Provides for professional accounting in accordance with standard
accounting practices while coordinating the fiscal efforts of the State, County, and
Federal programs. These employees provide financial analysis, budgeting, and
preparation of financial statements and reports, in addition to day to day operational
needs with regard to requirements of the County's Department of Finance. The Fiscal
section also coordinates travel arrangements for extraditions, prisoner transports and staff
attending probation hearings, interviews, interagency meetings and trainings.
Management Information Services: Coordinates daily operation of the PC network;
Wang mini computer system; and telecommunications linking the Wang system to Police
as well as the City & County of Honolulu and State of Hawaii. We are currently working
on migration of the case tracking system from Wang to a PC based system and will be
working to establish connectivity to the Police Records Management System.
Volunteer Services Coordinator: Recruits, trains and places volunteers to assist within
the Office. The volunteer services coordinator also assists in supporting special projects
within the office.
Special Projects: Coordinates community and interagency initiatives that promote crime
prevention through education, collaboration and strategic planning. Projects include
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Youth Builders and Community Empowerment Organization (CEO). CEO's funding
ended in 2003, however the project was very successful in implementing 14 significant
community changes.
ATTORNEY'S UNIT
The Attorney's Unit, divided among East, West and North Hawaii offices, handle
all criminal cases that occur in their respective districts. East Hawaii's 19 deputies cover
the districts of North and South Hilo, Puna and Ka'u. The seven West Hawaii deputies
cover the districts of North and South Kona and Ka'u. One attorney in North Hawaii
covers the districts of Hamakua, South Kohala and North Kohala with the exception of
felony trials. There exists specialized sub-units within the attorney's unit.
Attorney Responsibilities
ADVISING: Police (HPD)/Law Enforcement Agencies
Other Government Agencies
Victim/Witnesses
General Public -not witness or victim
Legislators
Crime Prevention Groups
Private Law Enforcement Groups (security)
TRAINING: Intra-Office Personnel
Police Department, i.e., police recruits, recall training
Other law enforcement agencies, i.e., DLNR
Public/Private Agencies, i.e., CPS, DHS, SANE, Hospitals,
Fire Department, DOE
Students in Mock Trial Program
ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS:
Parole Hearings
MISCELLANEOUS:
Public Speaking
Committee meetings/membership
Networking with other agencies
Public education/relations
Interagency assistance
Deputy prosecutor's provide ongoing assistance to police by carrying pagers for
after hour calls regarding potential criminal charging of defendants and review of seazch
warrant affidavits. Calls from Hawaii County Police Department are received at all hours
of the night. Deputy prosecutors rotate on call duty and all supervisors are required to
carry pagers and remain available to the police and other deputy prosecutors for
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consultation on cases after hours. The number of after hour calls average nine per week
with deputy prosecutors on pager duty approximately 600 hours per week.
Deputies typically spend time beyond the normal 8 hour day to complete the work
needed on their cases. The range of hours expended varies depending on the needs of the
case, whether the case is in trial, trial preparation, whether witnesses can be contacted
during business hours and the like. On average, the attorney's unit spends over 170 hours
per week over the normal work week. Overtime hours range from 90 hours to in excess
of 250 hours in any given week.
Career Criminal Prog am
The concept of the Career Criminal program (CCP) in the Prosecutor's Office is
contained in the findings and purpose section of Chapter 845 of the Hawaii Revised
Statutes which states that "The legislature finds that a substantial and disproportionate
amount of serious crime is committed against the people by a relatively small number of
multiple and repeat felony offenders..." This belief is borne out in actual cases where we
prosecute career criminal defendants with numerous prior arrests and convictions.
The State provides funding as approved by the Legislature to support CCP
programs in all counties. We have three Circuit Court, one District Court and one
Screening deputy assigned to Career Criminal cases. There is also support staff of four
clerical, one legal assistant and one investigator. Over the years, funding has declined
and resulted in an attorney and investigator position being left vacant for many years. In
addition, with approval from the Attorney General, the attorney positions have had to be
"backfilled" so experienced deputies can be assigned to these more difficult cases. Funds
provided by the State are not sufficient to handle all of the defendants identified as career
criminals and assistance from other deputies to also handle CCP cases is required.
Individuals subject to career criminal prosecution efforts as provided in Chapter
845 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes include those who:
1. Have 2 or more felony convictions within the last 5 years
2. Have 1 or more felony conviction and 2 or more misdemeanor convictions
and/or arrests within the last 3 years
3. Have been convicted and/or arrested for the offense of felon in possession of a
firearm within the last 5 years
4. Are on parole
5. Are on probation
6. Are on bond awaiting appeal
7. Are on bond awaiting a trial
8. Are known or suspected to be an associate of organized crime
9. Are known or suspected of recurring or ongoing criminal activity
10. Have no adult record but have an extensive juvenile record
11. Are juveniles with extensive records who have been waived to the circuit
court for trial
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From the onset, the objectives have been incarceration of the criminal at all stages
of the criminal justice process; conviction on the most serious charge, whether by plea or
trial; expedited processing of cases; and maximum incazceration of convicted career
criminals. We also do the following to achieve our goals:
• Assign experienced attorneys to the CCP cases;
• Begin eazly tracking of high risk juveniles who most likely will be considered
CCP defendants as adults;
• Increase the number of arrested and charged cases involving CCP defendants;
• Request high bail or commitment without bail;
• Immediately file revocations of bail and revocations of supervised release;
• File motions for enhanced sentencings such as mandatory minimum terms,
consecutive terms of imprisonment, and extended terms of imprisonment.
Our communities need to feel safe from these criminals, and the only way to do
that is to devote a special unit to prosecute them aggressively and expeditiously. We
have done that, and we pledge to continue our efforts with the continued financial support
of the legislature.
Circuit Court
The Circuit Court Units of the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney services three
courtrooms, one in Kona and two in Hilo. The Kona office unit is comprised of four
attorneys and the Hilo unit is comprised of five. These units are responsible for the
prosecution of all felonies within the County of Hawaii for crimes ranging from theft
cases to the most vicious homicides. Felony cases consist of any case where there is the
possibility of a state prison sentence, while misdemeanor cases can subject the defendant
to a period of up to one year in jail. Defendants in misdemeanor cases are entitled to jury
trials. When such a request is made the circuit court unit is responsible for the
prosecution of misdemeanor jury trials.
The unit continues to actively prosecute these cases. The bulk of cases result in a
plea of guilty or no contest by the defendant but must still be prepared as if the case were
to be tried by a jury. The preparation of the case often results in its disposition short of
trial. Defendants do not have to plead guilty to any crime and can insist that this office
prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury or to a judge.
The Circuit Court Unit is also responsible for a variety of other matters including
all appeals from felony convictions, writ practice in both Federal and State Court,
evidentiary heazings relating to motions in felony and misdemeanor cases that aze set for
jury trial, felony sentencing proceedings, probation revocation hearings, parole board
hearings, assistance to the Police Department with officer training, review of search
warrants, and after hour pager duty.
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District Court
The Hawaii County Prosecutor's Office covers seven district courts islandwide.
Two and a half deputies in East Hawaii, one in North Hawaii and two in West Hawaii,
handle all of the misdemeanor and traffic cases for Hawaii County. District Court
deputies spend approximately 1 /4 to 1 /3 of their time processing traffic violations on
calendars as well as in trials.
District court deputies handle a total of 97 traffic/criminal calendars per month
islandwide. These calendars do not include the misdemeanor domestic violence cases as
those are heard on different days in East Hawaii. The traffic/criminal calendars cover
every type ofcrime/violation from barking dogs, and no-fault insurance to assaults, drug
cases, criminal property damage and also include regulatory violations from the
Department of Land and Natural Resources, the State Harbors Division, the Deparhnent
of Transportation and other departments.
Family Court
The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney continues to assign one Hilo and one
Kona deputy to handle Family Court cases. Additionally, our North Hawaii deputy
handles all of the Family Court cases for the Hamakua, North and South Kohala areas.
The goals of the Family Court unit are:
• Early identification by all participants of the criminal justice system;
• Expedited processing through the criminal justice system;
• Intense monitoring of a juvenile's criminal activity and more meaningful sentencing;
• Maintaining a network with other agencies to exchange information on gang
identification, gang activities and case dispositions. These agencies include
probation, police, Department of Education, Family Court and other private agencies;
• Promoting prevention programs through schools and Community organizations.
Forfeiture Project
Federal and State Forfeiture programs are intended to impose economic sanctions
on persons for the profits derived from criminal activity. The instrumentality used or
intended to he used to facilitate the commission of covered offenses can be forfeited. The
State Forfeiture Program is administered by the State Attorney General's Office and the
federal program by the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration.
Our goal is to continue efforts to forfeit assets acquired through illegal activity or
used for illegal activity. Forfeitures take the profitability out of illegal activity and places
the asset or the proceeds from the assets for use by law enforcement. We have found that
forfeitures are an effective deterrent to criminal activity.
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Presently, forfeitures are done part-time by one attorney, a legal assistant and a
secretary. They manage all forfeiture cases and network with local police, the Attorney
General's Office, Federal drug enforcement agencies, and the Federal Postal Forfeiture
Unit.
Our office has networked with State law enforcement agencies on the mainland
when defendants have been active in illegal drug activities both here and in other states.
We have initiated and participated in a joint effort with the Federal DEA on seizures from
major drug dealers. Statistics reflect that this effort has also brought thousands of dollars
to the County of Hawaii from forfeited assets giving the County of Hawaii additional
funds for law enforcement purposes.
Domestic Violence Unit
Two attorneys, one each in Hilo and Kona, are specially assigned to prosecute
domestic violence cases in District Family Court. These cases principally involve abuse
of family or household member and violation of an order for protection charges. Another
attorney is also specially assigned to handle domestic violence cases in Circuit Family
Court.
The primary benefits to specially assigning deputies to these cases are: 1) prompt
intervention by our office; 2) deputies knowledge of the background of repeat offenders
and victims; 3) consistency in the prosecution of the cases; and 4) familiarity of the DPA
with people and agencies that are involved in the area of domestic violence.
Violence Against Children Unit (VACI
One deputy prosecuting attorney, an investigator, a victim assistance counselor
and a legal clerk are specially trained to handle child victims of physical and sexual
abuse. This unit extends to concepts of protection for the community by better protecting
children and holding offenders accountable by improved interagency response.
Community Oriented Prosecution Proiect (COPT
The Community Oriented Prosecution project seeks to improve the quality of life in
Hawaii County by creating and fostering partnerships between the community and other
agencies in order to reduce crime. Community Oriented Prosecution offers a major link
between the police, prosecutors and the judicial branch of government, giving citizens a
better sense of community. It encourages cooperation between all people on the Big
Island and fosters an atmosphere of community empowerment.
One deputy in Hilo and one in Kona are assigned as the Community Oriented
Prosecutors who work closely with Community Police officers in educating and
empowering communities to unify against crime. Edward Byrne Memorial State and
Local Law Enforcement Assistance Grant funding was obtained for a third year to
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continue the Community Oriented Prosecution unit in the Kona office to provide
expanded coverage for the entire island. The unit also includes an investigator and legal
clerk.
Community Gun Violence Prosecution Program
The goal of the Community Gun Violence Prosecution program is to deter crime
and positively affect the community's perception of safety by prosecuting firearm related
crimes in a rapid, responsive and effective manner. The primary objectives of the
program are to develop and implement an intake process to expedite screening and
charging of violent crimes involving guns and to employ a vertical prosecution strategy.
Four deputies have been cross designated as special assistant U.S. Attorneys as
part of the Project Safe Neighborhood Community Gun Violence program. We have
worked cooperatively with the US Attorney's Office to identify dangerous defendants in
our community who represent a significant risk to the community and who are now being
prosecuted in the Federal system under the Project Safe Neighborhood program. The
majority of these defendants would qualify as career criminal defendants under the
current statutory criteria. Many of these defendants who are drug users or commit
domestic violence with fireanns have now been removed from the community.
Dnig Prosecution Unit
Federal funding for the Mayor's War on Ice will provide our office with two
deputy prosecuting attorneys. Their work will concentrate on individuals and
organizations distributing large quantities of ice and other drugs. In the two year funding
cycle of the project, the impact of their work on criminality, rehabilitation, drug treatment
and social and health indicators will not be evident, in fact, as focus on the issue
heightens, these measures generally increase before they decrease.
We anticipate the need for two legal clerk III positions to provide legal clerical
and an investigator to support to these deputies as cases move through the judicial
process. The full measure and impact of the unit will not be known for at least five to ten
years, well beyond the federal funding cycle. Continued funding of the program in all
aspects of treatment/prevention, intervention and law enforcement must be obtained to
successfully impact the Ice problem for Hawaii County.
VICTIM/WITNESS ASSISTANCE UNIT (VAUI
The State established victim-witness assistance programs in the Department of the
Attorney General to be implemented by the County prosecutors under HRS 28-111 "to
provide information, assistance, and support services to the victims of and witnesses to
crimes committed in the state."
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HRS 801 D, more commonly known as the Victims' Bill of Rights, recognized the
civil and moral duty of victims and witnesses to cooperate with law enforcement and
prosecutorial agencies, and the importance of such cooperation for the general
effectiveness and well being of the criminal justice system of this State. HRS 801D also
declared the intent to ensure that all victims and witnesses of crimes are treated with
dignity, respect, courtesy and sensitivity, and that the rights are honored and protected in
a manner no less vigorous than the protections afforded criminal defendants.
The victim counselors provide a multitude of services to victims, their significant
others, and witnesses of crimes to minimize the oftentimes adverse impact of the criminal
justice system. The services include, but are not limited to, notification of case and
offender status, court procedure orientation, court accompaniment to provide support,
assistance with criminal injuries compensation, property return, assistance with victim
input for sentencing, plea agreements, and Parole Board minimum term hearings,
transportation, emergency services (food, clothing, shelter, restraining orders),
intercession with employers and creditors, referrals, short term and crisis counseling,
making travel and other arrangements For returning witnesses, witness coordination to
lessen the amount of time spent waiting at court, providing a secure waiting area for
witnesses away from defendants, providing support during interviews of victims of child
abuse, domestic violence, sex assault and other sensitive cases in addition to other
services to deputies, presentations to community organizations and training to other
agencies. The counselors also coordinate witnesses at grand jury hearings, provide
support and information to witnesses and call in returns and changes to the indictment.
The clerical staff of the unit are responsible for providing clerical support to the
counselors and the coordinator. In addition, the Senior Clerk-Stenographer makes travel
arrangements for returning witnesses and program staff.
During the last six months of 2003, the unit provided services to 3,394 people.
The office has developed a victim notification system where victims are now
automatically notified when a case is referred to the office and when trial, change of
pleas, and sentencings are scheduled.
The Victim Assistance Unit is the only program that is available to ALL victims
and witnesses of crime. The Unit's services directly benefit the people of Hawaii
County. However, the benefits would be seriously affected if funding is inadequate to
maintain sufficient staff.
INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
The Investigations Unit consists of seven investigators. Five are county funded,
one is funded under the State Career Criminal Prosecution (CCP) grant and one is
federally funded by the Community Oriented Prosecution project.
The CCP investigator is assigned all cases that involve offenders that qualify as a
career criminal under the Hawaii Revised Statutes. This allows the investigator to
]t
concentrate on assisting solely in the preparation of cases for these types of offenders.
The VACA investigator is assigned all felony cases where a violent act has been
committed against a child victim. Also part of the VACA investigator's duties is to
develop a database of offenders and to track offenders as they progress through the
system.
Generally, this unit conducts investigations in a variety of cases, from simple
traffic cases to cases of the most complex, confidential and diverse nature. The primary
responsibility of the unit is to assist the attorneys in preparing cases for trial. This
includes: conducting follow-up investigations on cases referred to the office by the
Hawaii County Police Department, preparing exhibits for courtroom presentations,
locating and securing the testimony of expert witnesses, coordinating appearance of
witnesses at trial and monitoring bench warrants.
In addition, the unit is also responsible for assisting in locating and apprehension
of fugitives. The unit, with the cooperation and assistance of the Hawaii County Police
Department and other law enforcement agencies locally, nationally and internationally,
attempts to locate and return fugitives back to Hawaii County.
LEGAL CLERICAL UNIT
The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney has the largest legal clerical staff in
Hawaii County with seventeen clerical employees in the Hilo Office, five clerical
employees in the Kona Office, and one island-wide supervisor. The unit provides
assistance to office attorneys and investigators. Administration and the Victim
Assistance Unit have their own clerical staff.
Unique demands placed upon the legal clerical staff -time constraints, ever-
increasing court requirements, and the public's and other agencies' demands for more
services done in less time -continue to strain the unit. Over the past several years there
has been a significant increase in the volume of cases, without a corresponding increase
in clerical staff. They continue to work diligently to handle the volume, however, the
current level of staffing does not provide for spikes in workload or coverage. This
ongoing situation affects morale, accuracy and efficiency. It also affects our ability to
retain and recruit staff.
In addition to doing traditional legal work, the clerical staff is responsible for
input and update of case information to the Office's File Access Case Tracking System
(FACTS). FACTS is utilized by staff as well as by Police, Public Safety and some
branches of the Judiciary. An average of 360 to 400 new charges aze input weekly once
cases are referred from the Police Department or when defendants are detained pending
arraignment. Traffic citations are not generally input into the system until the offender
elects to go to trial. This then requires input to the case tracking system and additional
processing, including creation of case files, processing of discovery, and issuing
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subpoenas to witnesses. Throughout, computer tracking input must be done to document
the status, file location, and calendar disposition of each case.
As Hawaii County's economy has declined, an increasing number of defendants
have been unable to make restitution payments, pay fines or do required community
service. This results in their returning to District Court prompting further tracking by our
clerical staff. The increase in contempt of court charges, domestic abuse cases, and
defendants requesting legal counsel also requires additional processing by legal clerks.
It has been difficult for our Kona clerical staff to keep up with the rising number
of cases, and over the past two years we have shifted work to the Hilo office to provide
assistance. Through active recruitment by our Volunteer Services Coordinator, we have
utilized volunteers to provide much needed assistance. While their assistance is greatly
appreciated, the general short-term nature and constant training required places additional
demands on the staff.
Our office is the largest litigation office in Hawaii County. We are proud of our
clerical staff's professionalism and the contribution they make to our litigation efforts.
Along with the other support units, the clerical staff provide quality legal services to the
public.
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CEO COMMUNITY CHANGES
SOUTH KONA:
One NHW Mobile Patrol formed.
Change in lease language by Kamehameha Schools to clarify consequences of drug
activity by lessees.
Formed an Abandoned Vehicle Task Force which formulated procedural changes in
conjunction with county departments.
NORTH KONA:
Developed and carried out a comprehensive study of Alii Drive which is in use as a
resource by both community and county.
Assisted residents of Ka Hale Kahalu'u Housing in developing their first Resident
Council and expediting building repairs and maintenance.
SOUTH KOHALA:
Brought United Way 211 information system to Hawaii Island
NORTH KOHALA:
Established county-wide newsletter for dissemination of safety and crime
information.
HAMAKUA:
Applied for and received a State Incentive Grant for Honokaa School Complex which
will provide continued support to the CEO project in Hamakua and Waimea.
NORTH HILO:
One new NHW formed.
Established alternate route system of county roads for police and fire
to use in unexpected state road closures in Laupahoehoe area.
SOUTH HILO/PUNA:
Combined effort formed an Illegal Dumping Task Force to work with community,
county departments and major land owners to increase responsible stewardship of
large areas of vacant lands.
KAU:
One new NHW started
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Gathered participants and facilitated the process of Hookena-Naalehu Water Master
Plan meetings for County Dept of Water Supply.
Gated a road near Kau High School to prevent late night nuisance. Collaborative
effort with DOE, Parks and Rec and DPW ,with volunteers to monitor and lock.
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