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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0021.116 2002-2004 JAY T. KIMURA 34 RAINBOW DRNE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY JN~Y~~R ~'!!Y~ HIL O, HAWA1196720 ~•cr- PH. 981-0486 CHARLENE Y. IBOSHI FAx: ssi-esos 934-3403 F IRST DEPUTY _ 934-3503 PR OSECUTING ATTORN EY WEST HAWAII UNIT • -ii: _ -iM~ •O P O. BOX 748 ~m•a•M~w~ KEALAKEKUA, HAWA1196750 PH. 322-2552 FAX: 322-8584 OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY n s DATE: March 12, 2004 O n ~ L - IV r; TO: James Y. Arakaki Council Chair and Council Members ~ ~ - FROM: Jay T. Kimura I-' o RE: FINAL REPORT - Name of Grant Program: Community Oriented Prosecution Federal or State Grantor: Dept. of the Attomey General County Grantee Department or Agency: Office of the Prosecuting Attomey Grant No. (IF KNOWN): 02-DB-13 Amount of Grant: $178,041 Amount of County Match: $59,347 Grant Period (Commencement & Completion): 11/16/02 - 6/15/03 Goals: See attached Objectives: See attached Outcomes or Results: See attached Comm. No. .w~i.=_• Ref. To: i Ref. Oate MAR 9~d _ Department of the Attorney General Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Division PROGRESS REPORT Project No.: O1-DB-Ol Project Title: Community Oriented Prosecution Agency: Hawaii County Office of the Prosecutine Attorney Person Completing Report: Chazlene Iboshi Phone: 961-0466 Project Period: 1/01/03 to 12/31/03 Report Period: 7/1/03 to 12/31/03 A. Provide a brief description of the Program. Community Oriented Prosecution (COP) involves along-term proactive partnership among the prosecutor's office, law enforcement, the community and public and private organizations, whereby the prosecutor's office helps solve community identified crime problems, improve public safety and enhance the quality of life in the community. B. List each goal and objective, and describe the progress made towards achieving each of them. Goal: Increase the communities involvement in the criminal justice system. Objectives: 1. Help educate and work with at least eight (8) community business groups on local crime related problems and prevention methods in the second year of the grant. Since the last reporting period, we have worked with an additional nine (9) groups for East Hawaii and an additional five (5) groups for West Hawaii. The East Hawaii community groups consists of Ainaloa Community, Hamakua Coast Community, Fern Acres ,Hawaiian Acres, Kahakai Community, Kapiolani Avenue Community, Naniwale Community, Paradise Park, and Puamaile Community. The West Hawaii community groups consists of South Kona Community Housing, PAI (People Against Ice) Ohana, Ice Summit Group 16, Recognizing Our Youth, Juvenile Drug Court Planning Team, & Mental Health Diversion Planning Team. The Community Oriented Prosecutors (COP) have participated in both facilitation and participation in these meetings on the judicial process, community building, and recognition of community members achievements. 1 2. 60% of the residents involved feel that community participation is effective in reducing crime. The survey has been completed and is being distributed to various community groups. 3. A clear problem description will be completed for 80% of the identified communities. Since the last reporting period, we have assisted in identifying (East Hawaii 18) (West Hawaii 12) clear problem descriptions. Once again, the majority of the problem descriptions involve "ice" and other drug use within the community. "Drug houses" and open air drug dealing and the resulting deterioration of the neighborhoods, e.g. unkept and sometimes abandon buildings and homes, trash in yazds, abandoned vehicles, increased traffic at all hours of the night, and dumping of waste material have been identified. Other problem descriptions include: burglaries, agricultural thefts, barking dogs, dangerous dogs, domestic violence, abandoned vehicles, building code violations, school related theft, guns in schools, trespassing, parking problems, traffic control, dealing with mentally ill offenders, and a lack of enforcement from all enforcement agencies (i.e. police, building inspectors, planning inspectors, Department of Health, etc.). 4. Of those communities with a clear problem statement, 50% will have documented progress made towards resolving the community problem that made their communities feel unsafe. A survey has been finalized and is being distributed to various community groups. Other methods of documenting progress include the use of a "cookbook." A "cookbook" is a compilation of completed projects with a description of how to do a certain task so that someone with the same identified problem would not have to recreate the wheel. The "cookbook" is an ongoing project. In addition, a book containing pictures of "community identified defendants" has been prepazed by the Community Policing Officers which aze presented at community meetings to help identify which defendants the community should be aware of. 5. Develop procedures to initiate nuisance abatement actions within the first three months of the grant. Reported in previous report. 6. Initiate actions to remove at least 5 drug houses from the communities by the end of the first year of the grant to increase public awareness and confidence in law enforcement. 2 Since the last reporting period, we have initiated actions to remove at least 2 drug houses from the community. We aze also working actively with the DNAT to help remove drug houses from the community. As a result of training, some CPOs have also taken the initiative and have been successful in speaking with landlords to remove drug tenants. C. Describe the program activities (coordinating partnerships to impact crime, education, and innovative and collaborative crime prevention, law enforcement and prosecution efforts) to date. 1. Coordinating Partnerships • Hawaii County Resource Center (HCRC) - is comprised of representatives from the Department of Health, Civil Defense, Research and Development, various island-wide non-profit organizations, Corporation Council, Community Policing, Prosecutor's Office, volunteers, and a student intern. The purpose of this group is to continue the Community Empowerment Organization concept of having an organized informational highway where people can share and learn from each other without each group having to research and create new procedures for topics previously addressed by other groups. Together, with the various government agencies and community representatives, procedures have been developed to allow for the use of county facilities so community members have access to researching grants and meeting rooms. Additionally, the HCRC is addressing the community component for emergency and non-emergency situations. As an example, communities will identify who in their neighborhood is a retired police officer, fire fighter, handicapped, etc. The community neighborhoods will also identify where people will meet and methods of contacting community members in the event of an emergency. • Island wide Resource Center Quarterly Meetings -Every quarter, the Mayor, Chief of Police, Prosecutor, community oriented prosecutors, community police officers, and community representatives through out the island meet at various locations through out the island. At these meeting, the community representatives can address their concerns one on one with government officials. Issues center around traffic, drug abuse, animals, and other identified community concerns. • Weed and Seed Pahoa -This group is addressed the quality of life in the Town of Pahoa and submitted an applying for official Weed and Seed designation The COP deputy has been facilitating many of the meetings and has been at the forefront of most crime prevention activities. 3 • Agricultural Theft Task Force -is comprised of farmers, citizens, police officers, the Department of Agriculture, the Farm Bureau, Representative Dwight Takamine, and the Prosecutor's Office. The focus of this group is to address ways to decrease agriculture theft on the Big Island. • Youth Builders -The COPS together with Youth Builders and Neighborhood Place coordinated a "Recognizing Our Youth" conference on October 25, 2003. The various Youth Groups were asked to do a presentation on their group's purpose and activities. In return, all groups and adults were made aware of the accomplishments of our youth groups. • DVIAT -Domestic Violence Interagency Teams. DVIAT meetings are held in Kona on the West side and Hilo on the East side. In addition, an all island meeting is held quarterly. DVIAT has sub-committees that deal with public awazeness, legal procedures, and inter-disciplinary teams. On the West side, the assigned domestic violence Deputy Prosecutor meets monthly with the DVIAT team as well as participates in a sepazate case tracking meeting with the Family Court Probation Officers and Domestic Violence Police Officers. The COP deputy pazticipates in the legal procedure team and meets monthly to discuss possible changes in the law, utilization of a screening form to determine violent risk offenders in Temporary Restraining Order cases, and uniformity of procedures in service of restraining orders. The East side COP deputy facilitates the All-Island DVIAT meetings, East Hawaii's main and legal procedure meetings. • VASH -Visitor's Aloha Society of Hawaii (VASH). Both COP deputies sit as members of the Board of Directors on the East and West sides of the Island. • CRI -Community Response to Ice. The West Hawaii CRI meets monthly with various representatives from the community to discuss the effects of "ice". CRI is comprised of the following subcommittees: educational, safety, and public awazeness. Accomplishments to date include KAPA radio station's production of a play on the effects of "ice". The Tutu Hui group provided a couple of picnics for grandparents who aze now the primary caretakers of their grandchildren because their children are addicted to "ice". Through collaboration with the COP project, CEO project, Child and Family Services (CFS), and Hawaii County Police, we are now able to provide presentations on "ice" to various community groups. • Worked with private landlords and helped train them how to keep their property free of crime. This is a direct result of a training put on during the last grant period where a training was done with private and public landlords. Topics included: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (OPTED), 4 proper screening of prospective tenants, availability of resources to obtain information about a tenant's background, and emphasis on educating tenants on their responsibility in keeping public housing in compliance with house rules. • Participation in the Animal Control Task Force: This group is looking at ways to make changes to the animal control ordinances in Hawaii County. • Participation in the Govemor's Traffic Safety Advisory Commission and the Hawaii County Traffic Safety Council. Both of these groups work to reduce the amount of traffic fatalities in our State. In addition, the Governor's Traffic Safety Advisory Commission judges and decides the Safe Communities Grants. East Hawaii paztnerships include: • COP met with the following communities (Ainaloa Community, Hamakua Coast Community, Fern Acres ,Hawaiian Acres, Kahakai Community, Kapiolani Avenue Community, Naniwale Community, Paradise Pazk, and Puamaile Community) to discuss various problems within their communities, and to educate them on the criminal justice system. The SARA problem solving method was utilized to identify and address problems within their communities. • Weed and Seed -The COP deputy has attended and played key roles at most Weed and Seed plazming meetings. In addition, the COP deputy help coordinate several proactive measures that have helped to decrease crime and improve the quality of life in the community • Agriculture Theft Task Force -The COP deputy has helped educate various interested parties on new legislation and has helped in the creation of a plan to create a cadre of volunteers to help the Department of Agriculture and the police prevent agricultural thefts. • Governor's Traffic Safety Commission -This group deals with traffic safety issues on a Statewide basis. The COP deputy sits as a Co-Chairperson of this group. • Hawaii County Traffic Safety Commission -This group deals with traffic safety issues on a Countywide basis. The COP deputy sits as a member of this group. • Animal Control Task Force -This group includes representatives from the Police Department, County Counsel, community members, the Legislative Auditor, Humane Society and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney. The goal of this group was to revise the Animal Control ordinance. 5 • COP/CPO monthly meetings -Community Police Officers meet to discuss issues in their neighborhood azeas. The CPOS and the beat officers in their respective district team up to assist each other. CPOS/COPS aze in the process of developing a system to identify community defendants. • Landlord training -The COP deputy works together with police officers and landlords to help landlords keep their property crime free. • Lanikila Public Housing -This group, comprised of tenants, is working on improving the quality of life in the Lanikila Public Housing Facility. The COP deputy sits as an advisor to this group. • Western Community Policing Center (WCPC) State Advisory Committee - WCPC is Regional Community Policing Institute under the Direction of the Department of Justice's COPS office. WCPC provides training to police officers and citizens throughout Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico, Alaska and Utah. The COP deputy is the State Boazd member to WCPC and the State Advisory Committee Chair. In addition, WCPC presented a Community Teams Training in partnership with the COPS to train over 100 community members in problem solving, paztnerships and strategic planning. West Hawaii partnerships include: • CRI - As a member of the Safety committee, COP Deputy reports on the status of Drug Court, Project Safe Neighborhoods, and available CEO services. • South Kona Community Housing Committee - Various representatives (Hokulia, former CEO South Kona Facilitator, former CEO Coordinator, Neighborhood Place, and residents) aze in the planning stage of obtaining a community and/or transitional housing for the South Kona residents. • COP/CPO monthly meetings -Community Police Officers meet to discuss issues in their neighborhood areas. The CPOs and the beat officers in their respective district team up to assist each other. CPOs/COPS aze in the process of developing a system to identify community defendants. A proposal would be to tag these cases with a "COP" stamp. The purpose of this identification would be to alert the parties handling these cases to request geographical bans and other appropriate meaningful terms of bail and/or sentencing. • PAI -People Against Ice is a group organized by South Kona residents who meet to address the "ice" problem in Kona. 6 • Ka Hale Kahalu'u Housing -with the assistance of the various community groups (Solid Rock, Neighborhood Place, Center for Independent Living, Legal Aid, former Representative Virginia Isbell, and former CEO facilitator Ann Peterson), the management company was terminated. • Ice Summit, group 16 - is a group comprised of Probation Officers, Judiciary, Prosecutor's Office, and Parole to identify the availability and gaps in services for substance abuse treatment. • Juvenile Drug Court -Monthly meetings are held to discuss the policy and procedures for Juvenile Drug Court. • Mental Health Diversion -Together with the Department of Health, Judiciary, family members and members with mental health issues, met to discuss policy and procedures to divert criminal cases where the defendants who are arrested for nonviolent crimes and who do not have a 704 issue. 2. Education • Presentations on the roles and responsibilities of the Prosecutor's Office and the process on how cases make it through the court system has been presented to High School and college students as well as community groups. • Presentations on the Community Oriented Prosecution Philosophy, creating partnerships and problem solving have been presented to the Police Recruit class and various community groups. • Presentations on the effects of drugs and how drug cases proceed through the criminal system have been presented numerous community and business groups, High School and college students and on cable television. • Presentations on the Weed and Seed initiative have been presented to business groups, community groups and on two radio stations. • COPS have participated in radio discussions on proactive methods to reduce crime and improve the quality of life in a community. • COPS participated in recruiting and training over 100 community members in a recent Community Teams Training in partnership with the Western Community Policing Center. Problem Solving Community Team Training's were held on October 24`h & 25`h in Kona, October 27`h & 28`h in Kau, and October 30`h & 31S` in Hilo. 3. Innovative efforts to curtail criminal activities 7 • Nuisance Abatement. • Prosecuting Crimes Harmful to the Community. We are awaiting a response from the Hawaii County Police Department regarding our request to identify COP defendants by using a rubber stamp. • Conferrals with Vice. The COP deputies carry pagers and cell phones and have made themselves available to Vice officers at all times of the day and night to discuss cases, review search warrants and charge cases. The COP deputies have also created a form for Vice officers to notify community police officers after a search of a home has been completed. D. Report performance indicators (aka Project Evaluation) that document the accomplishment of the objectives. 1. Number of communities identified by the community oriented prosecution project. (East Hawaii 13; West Hawaii 5) 2. Number of community meetings conducted/attended. (East Hawaii 45; West Hawaii 25) 3. Number of participants who participated in crime prevention programs. Hundreds 4. Number of residents in targeted areas involved who feel that community oriented prosecution works/does not work in reducing crime. While the survey has been finalized and is being distributed, we have not distributed them to all of the community groups to date. 5. A complete description of the nuisance abatement program: a clear description of the community's role. This objective has been met. 6. Number of nuisance abatement cases involving the community, the prosecutor's office and other agencies. During this period we have educated numerous community groups about nuisance abatement procedures, including how and when to contact the DNAT. We have also helped the DNAT in the implementation of their procedures. 7. Number of cases screened by the community oriented prosecutor. (East Hawaii 60; West Hawaii 25) E. Problems encountered. 8 1. A significant portion of the COP deputy's work involves receiving calls and listening to complaints from community members that have problems in their neighborhoods. We have yet to come up with an effective evaluation device to track the amount of time, effort and results that come from these calls. 9