HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0529.001 2008-2010
WEST HA W All UNIT
C.U~. ,l'....II"I.,L.~.." .", r::C;'< 81-980 HALEKII ST, SUITE 150
U .;,~A_L~ "~~tLAKEKUA, HAWAIl96750
COU!\lTY ,1\- !-IF,Y,f r. .. PH 322-2552
OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY FAX 322-6584
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Rrl 9 08
655 Kilauea A venue
HILO, HAWAII 96720
PH: 961-0466
FAX: 961-8908
934-3403
934-3503
JAY T. KIMURA
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
CHARLENE Y. IBOSHI
FIRST DEPUTY
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
5
TESTIMONY in support of Bill No. 149
Relatim! to Amending Chapter 14 and 15 of the Hawaii County Code
The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for Hawaii County supports the intent of Bill No.
149 which relates to adding the Lalakea Pond Beach Park to the parks and recreational facilities
schedule and intoxicating liquors prohibited in certain public places.
The Offi~e of the Prosecuting Attorney respectfully requests that this bill be amended to
prevent liquor consumption in all of the County parks of the County of Hawaii, absent a permit
to drink alcoholic beverages.
In the last couple of yeas our office has received several complaints from community
members about people drinking alcohol in County parks and causing problems. These problems
include: fights, harassment, disorderly conduct, vulgar and abusive language, excessive noise,
obscene gestures, littering vandalism, and driving under the influence of alcohol.
During the same period of time, our office has received significantly fewer complaints
about similar problems at our State parks. One of the reasons for this may be that the State has
already made the requested changes and has made it against the law to use or possess alcohol in
any state park without a permit.
While all of the above problems are of a concern to the County, driving under the
influence is of particular concern to our office. According to the State Department of
Transportation, there were 125 fatal crashes and 138 total fatalities in 2007 on the roadways in
the State of Hawaii. Of the 138 crashes, 60 involved alcohol, accounting for 50 percent of the
fatalities. Statewide, there were 8,740 traffic crashes. According to the National Highway
Comm. No. 5~q. f
Ref. To: P I ~Pt'U-
Ref. Date OCT 0 6 7t\\i~
Hawai'i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
Traffic Safety Administration (NHST A), nationally motor vehicle crashes are the leading
cause of death for those who are 4 through 34 years old.
Most people who drink at County parks end up driving afterwards. Unlike a
license liquor establishment, there is nobody to prevent an intoxicated person from being
served another beer. When these people get into their vehicles, they endanger not only
themselves, but everyone else on the roads at that time. Many still remember one of the
worst motor vehicle crashes on this island which took the life of 4 teens who left
Kolekole Beach Park in 1996.
Alcohol-related problems severely impact the quality of life for many legitimate
park users and have caused many to feel unsafe while at our County parks. Our parks
should be for recreation and not imbibing. For this reason, we support the intent of this
bill and ask that it be amended to cover all parks.
Thank you for the opportunity to give testimony in support of this bill.
Respectfully submitted,
~~
Prosecuting Attorney