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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0553.000 1992-1994 - ♦s Stephen K. Yamashiro • ���/. :•• Harry A. Takahashi Mayor - Director irk;: _;... *-- (iloOF utt±v of Rafintii ,2 DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE f 25 Aupuni Street.Room 118 • Hilo.Hawaii 96720-4252 - (808)961.8231 • Fax(808)961-8248 August 10, 1993 The Honorable Spencer K. Schutte, Chairman and Councilmembers _... Hawaii County Council 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Dear Chairman Schutte and Councilmembers : RE: Statewide Marijuana Eradication Increase Appropriations Attached please find a bill amending the operating budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1994 , by increasing the State Grants for Statewide Marijuana Eradication by $22, 500 and appropriating same to the Statewide Marijuana Eradication expenditure account . Please note that the total state grant is for $222, 500 of which $200, 000 has already been included in the 1993-94 operating budget. We are seeking to appropriate the overage of $22, 500 . We have also attached the grant information provided by the Police Department. Sincerely, AtIAAP' (1,Cqi-ktN‘: Harry A Taka ashi Director of Finance attmts Approved by: Vtephen K.1 Yamashiro Mayor el Q. ; X53 COMM. NO.._ -. To: FC • Y '93 JUL 111 Ptd122jy7 JOHN WAIHEE ! _ ;++ i ROBERT A.MARKS s T ATTORNEY GENERAL GOVERNOR :t f ��'^ M.+1 �.�► ,p RUTH I.TSUJIMURA 1:'6� •'' FIRST DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL STATE OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL 425 QUEEN STREET HONOLULU.HAWAII 96813 (808)586-1500 Resource Coordination Division July 12 , 1993 The Honorable Victor Vierra Chief of Police Hawaii County Police Department 349 Kapiolani Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Dear Chief Vierra: Enclosed please find the fully executed contract for the following project: Project Number: 92-DB-20 Project Title: Statewide Mariivana Eradication Task Force Grantee: Hawaii County Police Department Project Period: July 1, 1993 to June 30, 1994 Project Costs: $166, 875. 00 Federal Funds $ 55 , 625. 00 State Funds $222 , 500. 00 Total You may begin requesting funds for your project by submitting a completed Request for Funds and Cash Balance Report Form (AG/RCD Form 7) to our office starting July 1. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Pam Seto, your assigned project specialist, at 586-1157 . We look forward to the implementation of this project. Sincerely, acku1014004 4T,, Lari Koga Administrator Enclosure LK:PS/ps • I :i ` # * ——^' • "pa'1 c.,, 7 / 1n /o1 DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE REQUEST FOR COUNCIL IN DEPARTMENT : POLICE DATE '' 8/5/93 STAFF CONTACT : NORI A . roNnKA PHONE : 7 A . U : An additional $32 ' 500 . 00 be mppropriaLed in account number DlO-2Ol-52l9 . l8-ll5 Statewide Marijuana Eradication - Miscellaneous Contract Services . B . BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION NEEDED) : The Statewide Marijuana Eradication account has been budgeted For $300' 000 . Per the approved grant dated 7/ 12/93 ' $222 ' 500 will be received From the DepartmenL oF tho Attorney General , Resource Coordination Division . This request is to appropriate the difference oF $22 ' 500 . See attached grant. . ii A SIGNED : f2DATE : Er. 6 10 t .^. . ..` v . ' -_...... . CHIEF OF POL [CE • RESOURCE COORDINATION DIVISION DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL 425 Queen Street, Room 221 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 APPLICATION FOR GRANT PART 1. TITLE PAGE A. PROJECT TITLE: STATEWIDE MARIJUANA ERADICATION TASK FORCE B. APPLICANT AGENCY: Hawaii County Police Department C. ADDRESS: 349 Kapiolani Street, Hilo, Hawaii 96720 D. LOCATION OF PROJECT: 349 Kapiolani Street, Hilo, Hawaii 96720 E. PROJECT PERIOD: From July 1, 1993 To June 30, 1994 F. PURPOSE/CERTIFIED PROGRAM (2) Multi-jurisdictional Task Force G. TOTAL PROJECT COSTS: SOURCE OF FUNDS ! AMOUNT Federal Funds $166,875.00 State (Attorney General) Funds 55,625.00 TOTAL s $222,500.00 H. PROJECT DIRECTOR Name: Raymond A. Simao Title: Captain Address: 349 Kapiolani Street, Hilo, Hawaii Telephone: 961-2251 I. FINANCIAL OFFICER Name: Nori Tanaka Title: Acting Business Manager Address: 349 Kapiolani Street, Hilo, Hawaii Telephone: 961-2273 FOR AGENCY USE Date Received: ''14 1% 0 a9O'3Project Number: D Er 20 AG/RCD #1 (04/91) PART II - DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT A. PROBLE) Marijuana cultivation remains a significant concern and a major law enforcement problem in the State of Hawaii. Marijuana remains readily available, although there are decreases in marijuana confiscated or destroyed by law enforcement authorities. Hawaiian society is not only a user of the drug but also a major exporter to all parts of the mainland and the world. Hawaiian marijuana is known worldwide for its potency and high quality; therefore, it is a very profitable commodity to those who choose to become involved in the illegal activity of growing, distributing and selling marijuana. Furthermore, marijuana is also known to be a "gateway drug, " being the introductional drug to further drug abuse. All four counties (Maui, Kauai, Hawaii and Honolulu) within the State of Hawaii are affected by this problem. The enormous profits available have promoted the growth of illegal marijuana crops throughout the State. The street value of marijuana in Hawaii is between a low of $4 , 000 to a high of $6, 500 per pound, costing more once it reaches the West Coast, and doubles its value by the time it is sold on the East Coast. The island of Hawaii, with its large uninhabited land mass, leads the state in plant eradication. In 1990, nearly one million plants were eradicated through state, county and federal law enforcement efforts. The Hawaii County Police Department contributed by sending police officers to assist in Kauai, Maui and Honolulu Counties' eradication missions. During 1991, the actual number of marijuana plants eradicated showed a decrease from 1990. Eradication efforts supported by state and federal grant funding were very successful as marijuana was recovered from the usual areas. During 1991, eradication efforts also included the destruction of marijuana by chemical spraying in joint missions conducted with the State Department of Land and Natural Resources. In these missions, plants on certain state properties and within the sugar cane fields were destroyed by herbicidal spraying. There was also an increase in the number of cases where marijuana was imported to Hawaii, supporting a theory by many law enforcement authorities that the marijuana eradication efforts throughout the state are beginning to deplete the availability of marijuana. Hawaii, with a land area of 4 , 030 square miles, requires many hours of aerial spotting. The County police are responsible for eradicating cultivated plants located in and around the many rural subdivisions in the Puna District. The most efficient and safe DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT PAGE 2 method of removing marijuana plants which are a short distance from inhabited areas is by rappelling from private helicopters. Developing information for search warrants to properties and homes with marijuana plants and to indoor grow sites requires many hours of surveillance and special equipment. In 1987 , 1.7 million marijuana plants were destroyed on the island of Hawaii by law enforcement personnel. In 1991, fewer than 500, 000 plants were eradicated. Locating patches is becoming more difficult and the areas planted continuously change. Plants grown today are smaller and more easily disguised in the forests and cane fields; indoor cultivation is increasing. The drop in cultivation can be attributed to increased law enforcement and military cooperation which maximizes resources; the use of both manual and herbicidal eradication methods; more severe penalties for the cultivation, distribution and sale of marijuana; more vigorous pursuit of asset seizures and forfeitures and increased use of search warrants for residence which result in more arrests. B. PROPOSED SOLUTION The project is a multijurisdictional task force, the purpose of which is marijuana eradication in Hawaii. The Statewide Marijuana Eradication Task Force was organized in 1991 as an offshoot of Operation Wipeout, a $394, 450 discretionary grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to the Department of the Attorney General (AG) . The project operated from July 1, 1990 through June 30, 1991; it is estimated 85 percent of the sighted, outdoor, summer crop in Hawaii was destroyed during the summer and fall of 1990. Approximately 785,000 plants worth an estimated $1.1 billion were eradicated, and the U.S. Attorney expected to retrieve more than $1 million under the forfeiture law. As a result of this operation and continuing efforts, the price of marijuana rose from $1, 500 in 1987 to $6,000/$9 , 000 per pound in 1991/1992 . This grant was the catalyst for more intensive enforcement efforts on the Big Island. Other unique and positive qualities evinced in the project were: 1. It used the military for Forward Looking Infra-red (FLIR) flights and cartographic assistance; 2. A spray rig was developed by DLNR that DEA may use as a prototype; 3 . A task force was formed and continues to operate; • DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT PAGE 3 4 . The operation itself is ongoing with increased formula grant and DEA funds and police department allocations of manpower; 5. The operation is being considered for replication; 6. The AG continues to receive calls from other states requesting information and possible technical assistance. Marijuana eradication remained a priority of Federal, State and local agencies following Operation Wipeout as evidenced by the allocation of funds and coordination of resources and personnel. The DEA allocated approximately $500, 000 to the four county police departments and the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) under the 1991 Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program; DLNR receives an annual budget from the State of approximately $1 million; the Drug Control and System Improvement (DCSI) Formula Grant Program provided $472, 025 and $407 , 575 in FY 1991 and FY 1992, respectively. The Statewide Marijuana Eradication Task Force was formed in March 1991 with the following agencies participating: 1. Hawaii County Police Department (HCPD) 2. Honolulu Police Department 3 . Maui County Police Department 4 . Kauai County Police Department 5. Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) 6. Hawaii Army National Guard (HING) 7 . Military (U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps) 8. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) 9. Department of the Attorney General (AG) Meetings are held monthly and all eradication missions in the state are coordinated, resources are pooled, and training and equipment are being standardized. During February 1992, representatives of the county police departments attended the DEA marijuana eradication planning session in Sacramento. Marijuana eradication in the State of Hawaii cannot be accomplished by any single agency; it is a multiagency and multijurisdictional cooperative effort. C. GOALS The primary goal of the Statewide Marijuana Eradication Task Force is to eradicate marijuana in Hawaii by coordinating all missions and sharing personnel. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT PAGE 4 D. OBJECTIVES 1. Meet monthly to coordinate all eradication missions in the State, those utilizing both herbicidal and manual techniques. 2. Standardize equipment and procedures for all member agencies. 3 . Standardize training in detection /eradication techniques and safety procedures. 4 . Share personnel, based on need, for each mission. 5. Increase eradication of outdoor cultivation and pursue methods for identifying indoor grows. 6. Increase asset seizures and forfeitures. 7 . Increase arrests of persons for cultivation, distribution and other drug violations. 8 . Improve intelligence sharing among the task force agencies. E. ACTIVITIES 1. Each county will continue to assign officers to the Statewide Marijuana Eradication Task Force. The Task Force will plan and execute special eradication projects on each island which will be supported by member agencies. Special projects are eradication projects deemed vital and necessary by the lead agency and the county project managers; they will be physically supported by not less than two member agencies. 2 . On a routine basis, each county police department will be responsible for the regular eradication and maintenance of marijuana crops and investigations of distribution on their respective islands. The Task Force will convene monthly and assign personnel as needed. 3 . The Statewide Marijuana Eradication Task Force is composed of Federal, State and County agencies. However, as needed, the four county police departments will meet separately in order to satisfy the requirements of the Drug Control and System Improvement (DCSI) Formula Grant Program. 4 . The Task Force shall train on a regular basis in order to achieve the objective of standardization. s DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT PAGE 5 F. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 1. The number of task force meetings held. 2. The number of multiagency missions. 3 . The number of multiagency training sessions. 4 . The type of equipment and number of procedures that have been standardized. 5. The total number of plants eradicated and marijuana confiscated. 6. The dollar value of plants eradicated and marijuana confiscated. 7 . The number of persons arrested for cultivation, distribution and other drug violations. 8. The number of value of asset seized. 9. Prosecutions/convictions for cultivation and distribution. G. ANALYSIS The main thrust of the program will be eradication of marijuana under the auspices of the Statewide Marijuana Eradication Task Force. Analysis of the impact of the project will be made by studying and comparing marijuana trends within and outside of the State of Hawaii before and after the project commences. The task force is predicated on joint operations and coordination; therefore, training is crucial to the overall success of the project. If joint ops are conducted, the participants need common knowledge and standard methods of dealing with problems regarding equipment and procedures. With rappel-related equipment, there is a need to standardize both the type and the manufacturer; methods of rappelling differ too. By training together, task force members can decide what type of equipment and what methods of operation are best suited to their purposes. Task force members attend observer school classes where they are taught to map plots, identify indoor grow, use FLIR, legal considerations of eradication, and advancing technology. If the task force is to operate at its optimal level, as a unit, all members must be trained to work together safely and efficiently. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT PAGE 6 H. PROJECT ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT 1. The lead agency and facilitator for the county police departments will be the Hawaii County Police Department. They will be responsible for coordinating communication and liaison activities among representatives of the four county police departments and will have the lead role in project activities. 2 . Each county will have an Operations Manager who will represent their respective police department in making decisions affecting the Statewide Marijuana Eradication Task Force. Project No. 92-DB- PART III. BUDGET DETAIL AND EXPLANATION COST ELEMENT AMOUNT A. SALyARIES AND WAGES Overtime: Travel, investigations, eradication of marijuana, and management. 75 Hours per month @ 17 . 00/hour x 12 months $ 15,300 Hazard Pay: For aerial observers and rappellers 15 missions @ $170 per mission $ 2,550 TOTAL SALARIES & WAGES $ 17,850 B. CONSULTANTS (Itemize) TOTAL CONSULTANTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 0 C. TRANSPORTATION AND SUBSISTENCE (Itemize) Travel: Airfare (10 personnel @ $200 each) $ 2,000 Per Diem (10 personnel @ $80 per day @ 5 days) $ 4,000 Ground Transportation (3 vehicles @ $50 per day @ 5 days) $ 750 Training: The expense for tuition & registration fees to attend workshops, seminars, and conferences. (10 personnel @ $100 each) $ 1,000 TOTAL TRANSPORTATION & SUBSISTENCE $ 7,750 a Project No. 92-DB- COST 2-DB-COST ELEMENT AMOUNT D. SUPPLIES, POSTAGE, PRINTING, ETC. (Itemize) TOTAL SUPPLIES, POSTAGE, PRINTING, ETC $ 0 E. OTHER COSTS (Specify) Aircraft Rental: $ 178, 550 Rental of civilian helicopters for aerial surveillance and marijuana eradication. - Based on 15 7-hour/day eradication missions utilizing two aircrafts @ $650/hr 15 x 7 x 2 x $650 = $136, 500 - Based on 7 7-hour/day spray missions utilizing one aircraft @ $650/hr 7 x 7 x 1 x $650 = $ 31, 850 - Based on 12 hours of flight time for reconnaissance of airborne infrared surveillance camera for detection of indoor growing operations @ $850/hour 12 x $850 = $ 10,200 Meals for Eradication Missions: $ 1,875 15 missions @ $125 per mission Equipment: $ 4 , 000 Rappel equipment = $ 3, 000 Bush clothing = 500 Footwear = 500 Spray Supplies (herbicide, dye. surfactant for chemical eradication: $ 3,700 10 2-1/2 gal Rodeo Glyphosate = $ 2, 840 10 gal red dye = 650 3 gal Triton sticker = 210 • Project No. 92-DB- COST 2-DB- COST ELEMENT AMOUNT E. OTHER COSTS (Specify) (Continued) Miscellaneous Supplies: $ 1, 000 Confidential Funds: $ 6, 000 Equipment Maintenance: $ 1, 775 TOTAL OTHER COSTS $ 196,900 TOTAL PROJECT COSTS $, 222.500 BUDGET EXPLANATION A. SALARIES AND WAGES Overtime: Travel time necessary for personnel as required, plus overtime necessary while conducting investigations, eradication and management. Hazard Pay: Hazard duty pay based on 25 percent of the minimum rate of the salary range for aerial observers and helicopter rappellers as required. C. TRANSPORTATION AND SUBSISTENC Travel: Per diem based on $80/day for personnel, airfare and vehicle rental, as required. Training: For tuition expenses to attend a variety of workshops and seminars which will further develop the investigator's knowledge and techniques in marijuana detection and investigation. E. OTHER COSTS Aircraft Rental: Rental of civilian helicopters for aerial surveillance and eradication, based on $650 per hour. An additional $200 per hour will be assessed during the use of the airborne Forward Looking Infrared Thermal Image camera. Meals: Lunches provided for personnel as required. Equipment: The purchase of rappel equipment, bush clothing and footwear to support personnel in the field. Spray Supplies: The purchase of herbicides, dyes, and surfactants to be spot-sprayed from the air on marijuana plants. The purchase of small cost supplies and equipment which may be required to operate the spray mechanism. Miscellaneous Supplies: Miscellaneous supplies, to include such items as sodas, coffee supplies, and ice to support personnel in the field. The purchase of office supplies that are required to complete the administrative requirements of the project, and to purchase small cost field supplies which may be immediately needed in the field. Confidential Funds: To be used for the purchase of evidence, information, and/or services. Equipment Maintenance: To cover the cost of repair and maintenance to surveillance and- county vehicles used during marijuana investigations and eradication missions.