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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-12-09 Police Commission MinutesHAWAII COUNTY POLICE COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES — REGULAR SESSION DECEMBER 9, 2002 HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL ROOM CALL TO ORDER Chair Wilfred Okabe called the meeting to order at 10:10 a.m. ROLL CALL Present: Wilfred M. Okabe, Chair Horace S. Hara, Vice Chair John M. Bertsch, Member Peter L. Hendricks, Member Phoebe M. Lambeth, Member Dwight K. Manago, Member Walter Moe, Member Peter P. Muller, Member Absent: Daniel C. Kama A quorum was present. Also Present: Lincoln Ashida, Corporation Counsel Josie Pelayo, Secretary APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Lambeth moved to approve the agenda. The motion was seconded by Vice Chair Hara and unanimously carried. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS (Open to the Public) Corporation Counsel Lincoln Ashida explained the difference between open and executive sessions. RONALD N. DELA CRUZ spoke on behalf of Acting Chief Mahuna. As a former security personnel of Parker Ranch and a member of North Hawaii Community Safety Committee, he worked with Acting Chief Mahuna who was then Captain in South Kohala. Mahuna helped them develop an investigative unit that worked on theft of livestock and agricultural grants. As a resident and business member of the community, he feels that Acting Chief Mahuna is the best candidate for Chief of Big Island and has his total support ALAN J. PRATT stated that he is testifying on a personal basis. He has known Acting Chief Mahuna for a long time. He always felt that Mahuna was the one person in administration that really cared about the people and crime stopping. He is head and shoulders above the other three candidates. He and his wife endorse Acting Chief Mahuna. Chair Okabe announced that they would be going into executive session to hear other statements and to discuss the applicants. Commissioner Lambeth moved to meet in executive session to consider the hire of an employee where consideration of matters affecting privacy would be involved; to consult with Corporation Counsel on questions and issues pertaining to the commission's powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and liabilities; and to receive information comprising of personal recommendations or evaluations. The motion was seconded by Vice Chair Hara and unanimously carried. The commission convened into executive session at 10:20 a.m. and reconvened back into regular session at 11:25 a.m. Police Commission Meeting Page 2 December 9, 2002 SELECTION OF CHIEF OF POLICE Chair Okabe explained that each commissioner will be given a ballot with the name all four applicants. They will then vote for only one person. Ms. Pelayo will read each commissioner's vote, and that commissioner will confirm the vote. The person with five votes will become the new Chief of Police. Confirmed votes were: Acting Chief Mahuna — 7 votes Major Charles Chai - 1 vote Chair Okabe stated that they had the opportunity to hold open session meetings for the community and police department. They tried to make the whole process open to the public. It is a credit to the police department that they had four candidates who definitely could lead the department. Throughout the process they received no negatives. They have gone through this process twice in two years, and they hope this selection will last a long time. On behalf of commission, he would like to congratulate Acting Chief Mahuna. Commissioner Manago stated that this was an arduous task that the finalists and their family had to go through. They had four fine candidates who cared about their community and their department. Neither one of them had said anything negative about one another. He hopes that in the future, this will not deter any of them from placing their name in the hat again for Chief of Police. He hopes that Chief Mahuna makes the changes that the community really wants. The job of the department is to service the community, and their number one number one customer is the community ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Okabe announced that the next monthly meeting would be on December 13, 2002, at 10:00 a.m., at the Hilo Police Station. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:35 a.m. SUBMITTED: JOSIE PELAYO, SECRETARY APPROVED: HORACE S. HARA, VICE CHAIR