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Home My WebLink About2020-12-18 Police Commission Regular MinutesHAWAII POLICE COMMISSION REGULAR SESSION MEETING MINUTES DECEMBER 18, 2020 AUPUNI CENTER CONFERENCE ROOM 101 PAUAHI ST., HILO, HAWAII CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Chair Bertsch called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. Present: John Bertsch, Chair Guy Schutte, Vice Chair Rod Quartararo, Member Donna Springer, Member Anthony Sur, Member Denby Toci, Member Absent: Thomas Brown, Member A quorum was present. Also present: Paul Ferreira, Police Chief Chad Basque, Major Samuel Jelsma, Major Kenneth Quiocho, Major Burt Shimabukuro, Captain Craig Masuda, Deputy Corporation Counsel Josie Pelayo, Secretary STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS (None.) APPROVAL OF MINUTES November 20, 2020, regular and executive session minutes: Vice Chair Schutte motioned to approve the minutes. Commissioner Sur seconded, and it carried unanimously. POLICE CHIEF'S REPORT ON DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES Chief and his staff highlighted items from the written reports: Crime Report: Major Quiocho reported that up through November 30, there were 2,509 serious crimes: 312 burglaries, 26 robberies, 1,400 thefts, 310 auto thefts, 73 sexual assaults, 5 murders, 1 attempted murder, and 382 aggravated assaults. The Criminal Investigation units investigated 263 of those cases. In the month of November, the department received 7,929 calls for service: 2,422 for criminal/traffic, 5,507 for miscellaneous public assistance. In response to questions, Major Quiocho stated that with regards to murders, they have to do a lot of documentation, and it takes longer to get reports, especially forensics. Their crime lab has limited equipment and personnel. Hawaii Police Commission Regular Session Minutes December 18, 2020 Page 2 Traffic Report: Major Basque reported that fiscal year to date, they had 316 traffic crashes, 5 traffic fatalities, 3 DUI Fatalities, and 477 DUI arrests. For the month of November, 5,518 citations were issued: 3,987 moving/regulatory, 342 seatbelt, 28 child restraint, and 1,161 speeding. • Personnel Report: Major Jelsma reported that through November 30, they had 14 in the 92nd recruit class and 20 in the 93rd recruit class, which them with 46 vacancies. As of November 30, 90.5% sworn positions were filled and 85.2% civilian positions filled. The 91St recruit class has 14 recruits in solo assignments until March 15, 2021. The 92nd recruit class had 21 recruits go solo on December 17. For their 94th recruit class, 456 applied, 275 took the written exam, 159 passed. After the agility exam, withdrawals, no shows, and no follow-ups, they now have 75 in their recruitment pool. They have 13 radio dispatcher vacancies. • Finance Report, including HPD's 2020-21 Budget: Major Jelsma reported as of 11/30/20, their overall targeted expenditures was 44.27%; actual 42.69%. Targeted S & W expenditure was 45.83%; actual 44.46%. Their approved FY 20-21 budget is $72,091,319 which includes a 10% overall reduction. They submitted a FY 21-22 budget of $71,459,725 which includes a 5% overall reduction. In response to questions, Major Jelsma stated that they are able to use vacancy funds to pay overtime. With regards to dispatchers, they do job familiarization interviews. They are trying to start a new dispatcher class as soon as possible. Chief Ferreira stated that he's hoping the new dispatcher center will help with retention. The job is very difficult, and that's why they do the realistic job interview where they bring the applicants into the dispatch center. This is where they lose a lot of applicants. He believes their salary is low, and it should be repriced. Salary is typically the same across the state and nation. Major Jelsma stated that police officers are on probation for 18 months. Anything over 8 hours is overtime. They are only allowed to work 12 hours. Chief Ferreira stated that a lot of the overtime is Covid related. Overtime in the police department is a fact of life. Investigations will take on overtime. If it is at the end of the shift, they have to finish up the investigation. Any natural disaster will take up overtime. They don't budget for disasters, because they don't know what will happen, so they go by averages. They had officers working at the airports on overtime due to Covid. Officers were monitoring the beaches, parks, and quarantine violators. They were allowed to use Covid funds for overtime and not regular on - duty funds. Officers are also being assigned to foodbank distributions. Hawaii Police Commission Regular Session Minutes December 18, 2020 Page 3 Commendations of Sworn and Civilian Employees: Chief Ferreira reported that since the last meeting, they had 4 commendations involving 2 personnel. Other Department Activities: Chief Ferreira reported that Officers Dustin Medeiros and Benhielden Del Toro responded to multiple burglaries at the same residence in Puna. Each time they were met by an older man who had his belongings stolen, including his vehicle. Because the man had been robbed of most necessities, the officers took him to town to pick up supplies and a new cellphone. After assessing the property, it became clear to the officers that the overgrown yard and no visibility of the home from the road, made it an easy target for burglars. The following weekend, both officers, on their day off, using their personal equipment, cleared the overgrown property and made it visible in order to protect against further crime. Major Jelsma stated that the Hawaii Rainbow Rangers took over the contract from the Human Society. They were supposed to have their own facility in both East Hawaii and Waimea. They do not have a drop off facility in Kea`au. He heard that they are trying to get a place in Kurtistown. They are not providing full service, so their funds are not being paid in full. Chief Ferreira stated that there was no high or low bid. They came in with what was allowed by the county. They have not been able to provide full service and police officers are responding and issuing citations. NEW BUSINESS • Selection of Chair of the Police Commission for 2021: Commissioner Quartararo motioned to select John Bertsch as Chair. Commissioner Springer seconded, and it carried unanimously. • Selection of Vice Chair of the Police Commission for 2021: Commissioner Toci motioned to selection Guy Schutte as Vice Chair. Commissioner Sur seconded, and it carried unanimously. CHAIR'S REPORT ON MATTERS OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION (None. Recess was called at 9:50 a.m. The meeting reconvened at 10:09 a.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION Commissioner Toci motioned to meet in executive session to consider charges against officers or employees of the police department where matters affecting privacy will be involved, to work on the evaluation of the Police Chief, to consider sensitive matters relating to public safety, and may consult with Corporation Counsel on questions and issues pertaining to the commission's powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and liabilities pursuant to HRS 92-5 (a) (2) (4) (6) and the Hawaii County Charter Section Hawai'i Police Commission Regular Session Minutes December 18, 2020 Page 4 13-20 (b). Vice Chair Schutte seconded, and it carried unanimously. Executive session convened at 10:11 a.m. Regular session reconvened at 11:30 a.m. ACTION ON EXECUTIVE SESSION MATTERS Investigation of Complaints ✓ HPC 20-33: Complainant alleged an arrest based on a traffic ticket. Vice Chair Schutte motioned that there was insufficient evidence to prove the complainant's allegations of misconduct. Commissioner Sur seconded, and it carried unanimously. ✓ HPC 20-34: Complainant alleged an officer was discourteous when a call was made about another party violating a TRO, and that the officer threatened an arrest. Commissioner Sur motioned that there was insufficient evidence to prove the complainant's allegations of misconduct. Commissioner Springer seconded, and it carried unanimously. ✓ HPC 20-36: Complainant alleged that an arrest was made over numerous tickets. Commissioner Springer motioned that there was insufficient evidence to prove the complainant's allegations of misconduct. Commissioner Toci seconded, and it carried unanimously. ✓ HPC 20-38: Complainant's wallet was stolen in a grocery store. He alleged that an officer did not review the store's video recording. He also alleged that the officer who returned his wallet, did not return his call when he left a message with dispatch for the officer to call him. Commissioner Toci motioned that there was insufficient evidence to prove the complainant's allegations of misconduct. Commissioner Sur seconded, and it carried unanimously. ✓ Complaint in non-acceptance category: Commissioner Springer motioned to accept the Chair's decision to decline the complaint in its current format of being beyond 90 days of the incidents and other non-acceptance categories. Commissioner Sur seconded, and it carried unanimously. The Chair will send a letter to the complainants advising them of how each complaint should be submitted according to the commission's rules. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Bertsch announced that the next meeting is scheduled for January 15, 2021, 9:00 a.m., in the West Hawaii Civic Center, Building G Conference Room, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Kailua-Kona. In response to an inquiry about adding items to the agenda, Chair Bertsch stated that the request should go to Ms. Pelayo who will then forward it to him for review. Hawaii Police Commission Regular Session Minutes December 18, 2020 Page 5 Mr. Masuda stated that for items that they want the Chief to speak about at a meeting, they should give the Chief more notice then just placing it on the agenda. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 11:38 p.m. SUBMITTED BY: JOSIE PELAYO, SECRETARY APPROVED BY: JOHN M. BERTSH, CHAIR