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Home My WebLink About2021-08-27 Police Commission Regular MinutesHAWAI`I POLICE COMMISSION REGULAR SESSION MINUTES OF AUGUST 27, 2021 AUPUNI CENTER CONFERENCE ROOM 101 PAUAHI ST., HILO, HAWAFI CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Chair Bertsch called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Present: John Bertsch, Chair Guy Schutte, Vice Chair Thomas Brown, Commissioner Pudding Lassiter, Commissioner Rick Robinson, Commissioner Rod Quartararo, Commissioner Donna Springer, Commissioner Anthony Sur, Commissioner Absent: Denby Toci, Commissioner A quorum was present. Also present: Paul Ferreira, Police Chief Kenneth Bugado, Deputy Chief Chad Basque, Assistant Chief Samuel Jelsma, Assistant Chief James O'Connor, Assistant Chief John Briski, Captain Malia Hall, Deputy Corporation Counsel Josie Pelayo, Secretary STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS (None.) APPROVAL OF MINUTES • July 16, 2021, regular and executive sessions: Commissioner Lassiter motioned to approve both minutes. Commissioner Springer seconded, and it carried unanimously. POLICE CHIEF'S REPORT ON DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES • Crime Report: Assistant Chief O'Connor reported that up through July 31, they had 495 serious crimes up through July 31, 2021. Of those serious crimes, the Criminal Investigation Units investigated 79 cases. For the month of July, the Police Department received 9,720 calls for service. Burglaries in Puna have gone up. A lot has to do with unoccupied residences. Captain Briski, former commander of the Puna District, stated that Puna has over 900 unoccupied residences. Traffic Report: Assistant Chief Basque reported that for the month of July 2021, 4,813 citations were issued: moving/regulatory 3,655, seat belt 271, child restraint 13, and speeding 874. Hawaii Police Commission Regular Session Minutes August 27, 2021 Page 2 Personnel Report: Assistant Chief Jelsma reported that they have 48 actual sworn vacancies. They have 13 unfilled dispatcher positions. They extended the recruit class period due to Covid. The department has filled 437 of its 483 sworn positions and 127 of its 155 civilian positions. The 94t" Recruit Class started with 32 new hires. They are now down to 25 in the class. They are going through background checks for 65 final applicants to the 95t" Recruit Class. Commissioner Schutte arrived at 9:14 a.m. Finance: Assistant Jelsma reported that up to July 31, their overall targeted expenditure was 13.57%; actual was 13.43%. S & W targeted expenditure was 12.50%; actual was 12.42%. Their fiscal year 2021-22 budget is $73,018,183 which includes a 5% overall reduction. • Commendations: Deputy Chief Bugado reported receiving 14 commendations involving 25 personnel since the last commission meeting. The Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawaii recognized Officer Ivan Alatan as Officer of the Month for May for his compassion and professionalism when assisting a disoriented woman. The Kona Crime Prevention Committee honored Officer Charles Caldwell-Kaai as Officer of the Month for August for his work in tracking down leads and apprehending a suspect wanted on an outstanding warrant and felony theft offenses. Other Department Activities: Chief Ferreira reported that their Community Satisfaction Survey was email to all commissioners. They will be addressing the valid comments and issues. CALEA requires a biannual survey, and it is put out through Survey Monkey. When the stats come in, they discuss it with their commanders. The survey gives them a gauge as to where the community sees them, their shortcomings, etc. A media release was sent out about the survey. It started in April, and a thousand people participated anonymously. They had 700 comments. Chief Ferreira further reported that they started their new budget cycle. They will be putting together a package for the commanders to give input to the 2022-23 budget. He expects it to be a status quo budget with reductions. The Mayor is putting out new Covid restrictions. Most notably will be no canopies at beaches and parks. This will probably generate complaints. State parks come under the State. With the governor's last mandate on vaccinations, they have about 75% of all police personnel vaccinated. Next week, all county employees who have not been vaccinated, will be required to have weekly testing. CHAIR'S REPORT ON MATTERS OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION (None.) Recess was called at 9:34 a.m. The meeting reconvened at 9:44 a.m. Hawaii Police Commission Regular Session Minutes August 27, 2021 Page 3 EXECUTIVE SESSION Commissioner Lassiter motioned to meet in executive session to consider charges against officers of the police department where matters affecting privacy would be involved, 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 13-20 (b). Commissioner Springer seconded, and it carried unanimously. Executive session convened at 9:45 a.m. Regular session reconvened at 11:50 a.m. ACTION ON INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINTS • HPC 21-19: Complainant alleged that an officer harassed him and a friend in the parking lot of a local bar. Vice Chair Schutte motioned that there was insufficient evidence to prove the complainant's allegations of misconduct. Commissioner Brown seconded, and it carried unanimously. • HPC 21-37: Complainant alleged that officers were not listening to her concerns. Commissioner Lassiter motioned to decline investigation because there was no misconduct on the part of the officers. Commissioner Springer seconded, and it carried unanimously. • HPC 21-38: Complainant alleged that officers are not listening to her concerns. Commissioner Lassiter motioned to decline investigation because there was no misconduct on the part of the officers. Commissioner Springer seconded, and it carried unanimously • HPC 21-39: Complainant alleged that an officer told her the party who was assaulted would need to make a report in order for it to go anywhere. Vice Chair Schutte motioned that there was insufficient evidence to prove the complainant's allegations of misconduct. Commissioner Lassiter seconded, and it carried unanimously. • HPC 21-40: Complainant complained about the manner in which an officer responded to her numerous calls to 9-1-1. Commissioner Robinson motioned that there was insufficient evidence to prove the complainant's allegations of misconduct. Vice Chair Schutte seconded, and it carried unanimously. • HPC 21-41: Complainant alleged that an officer escalated her situation by calling the police which caused responding officers to be biased against her. Commissioner Robinson motioned that there was insufficient evidence to prove the complainant's allegations of misconduct. Commissioner Brown seconded, and it carried unanimously. Hawaii Police Commission Regular Session Minutes August 27, 2021 Page 4 • HPC 21-43: Complainant alleged that an officer failed to write correct witness statements of an incident. Commissioner Springer motioned to defer the complaint to the next meeting and to request the bodycam video. Commissioner Brown seconded, and it carried unanimously. • HPC 21-44: Complainant complained about how officers responded to her calls. Commissioner Robinson motioned to defer the complaint to the next meeting. Commissioner Brown seconded, and it carried unanimously. • HPC 21-45: Complainant alleged that an officer used vulgar language and made threatening statements. Commissioner Sur motioned to refer the complaint to the Police Chief for further investigation. Commissioner Robinson seconded, and it carried unanimously. • Complaint in non -acceptance category. Commissioner Springer motioned to accept the Chair's decision to decline investigation because the complainant is not an eyewitness to the events which are the basis of the complaint per Rule 6 (c) (7). Commissioner Sur seconded, and it carried unanimously. WORK ON THE ANNUAL EVALUATION OF POLICE CHIEF PAUL FERREIRA Work on the evaluation will continue to the next meeting. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Bertsch stated that he would like to change the September 17 meeting date to September 24. Ms. Pelayo will look into the availability of that date or another day in that week. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 12:01 p.m. SUBMITTED BY: JOSIE PELAYO, SECRETARY APPROVED BY: JOHN M. BERTSCH CHAIR