HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-08-19 Police Commission MinutesHAWAII POLICE COMMISSION
REGULAR SESSION MINUTES
AUGUST 19, 2010
WAIMEA CIVIC CENTER CONFERENCE ROOM
INVOCATION
Commissioner Sumja gave an invocation.
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Whittemore called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Tom Whittemore, Chair
Michelle L. Kualii, Commissioner
Kenneth T. Ono, Commissioner
T. Ka'ili Pe'a- Ferrari, Commissioner
Michael B. Sumja, Commissioner
Leroy J. Victorine, Commissioner
Also Present: Paul K. Ferreira, Deputy Police Chief
Derek Pacheco, Assistant Chief
Marshall Kanehailua, Assistant Chief
Henry Tavares, Assistant Chief
James O'Connor, Captain
Lincoln S. Ashida, Corporation Counsel
Josie Pelayo, Secretary
Absent: Carol R. Ignacio, Commissioner
Donn S. Mende, Commissioner
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Commissioner Victorine moved to approve the agenda. Commissioner Sumja
seconded, and it carried unanimously.
STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS — None.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Commissioner Sumja moved to approve the minutes of July 23, 2010, regular and
executive sessions. Commissioner Victorine seconded, and it carried unanimously.
COMMUNICATIONS
• Correspondence 2010 -10, from the Cost of Government Commission requesting
input to their questionnaire. Chair Whittemore assigned the Budget and Finance
Committee to handle this matter. Deputy Chief Ferreira stated that all county
departments received this letter. Suggestions should be specific to the Police
Commission first and county -wide second. Chair Whittemore asked the
commissioners to give their suggestions to Ms. Pelayo who will then forward them to
the Budget and Finance Committee.
Hawaii Police Commission
Regular Session Minutes
August 19, 2010
Page 2
• Honolulu Police Commission Minutes of June 16, 2010
Commissioner Victorine moved to accept the communications. Commissioner Sumja
seconded, and it carried unanimously.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
• Budget and Finance (Mende): Chair Whittemore assigned Commissioner Ono to
the committee along with Vice Chair Mende.
• Office Management (Whittemore): No report.
Rules and Policies ( Sumja): Chair Whittemore assigned Commissioner Victorine
to the committee along with Commissioner Sumja.
• Public Relations (Ignacio): Chair Whittemore assigned Commissioner Pe'a-
Ferrari to the committee along with Commissioner Ignacio.
CHIEF'S REPORT
Including:
• Crime: AC Tavares summarized the written report. They recently installed
strategically placed cameras in downtown Hilo and Kailua -Kona. Feed goes to the
main station. All are not yet fully optimized. They are already looking at a suspect in
an unauthorized entry of motor vehicle case. Tapes are stored for approximately
two weeks and then re- recorded. Commissioner Ono felt that a two -week storage
period may be too short. AC Tavares stated that the recording time is variable
because it kicks in with motion.
Traffic: AC Pacheco summarized the written report. Traffic accidents and fatalities
are down. DUI arrests are up. Commissioner Sumja asked if the department is
doing anything about habitual offenders. Corporation Counsel Ashida stated that a
sentence is not going to stop a person from getting a car. With prison overcrowding,
there is a triage for releasing offenders, i.e., non - violent offenders do get released.
Personnel: AC Kanehailua reported having 20 civilian and 15 sworn vacancies.
They are asking to fill every civilian vacancy, but it has to be approved by the
Expenditure Review Committee. Sworn vacancies are not being cut. They have
applied for funds from the COPS stimulus package. He invited the commissioners to
review the CALEA program. They have three years to complete accreditation.
CALEA has national standards that must be followed.
• Finance: AC Kanehailua summarized the written report. Last year commanders did
a great job in keeping expenditures under 100 %.
Hawaii Police Commission
Regular Session Minutes
August 19, 2010
Page 3
• Commendations: Deputy Chief Ferreira reported receiving 14 commendations
since the last meeting. The commendations are now on the police department's
website.
Other Departmental Activities: Commissioner Ono stated that he ran into a
problem with a US census personnel. It got to the point where he had to call the
police. Census workers seem to think they can do anything they want. If it is a
common problem, he wants it addressed. Deputy Chief Ferreira said it was not a
common problem. In the recent Puna case, the plea bargain in court was for
additional training for both parties. Commissioner Sumja felt the problem is with the
instructions given to the census workers.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Commissioner Sumja moved to meet in executive session to consider discipline and
charges against officers or employees of the Hawaii County Police Department where
consideration of matters affecting privacy will be involved, to review and evaluate the
status of the Police Chief's goals, and to consult with Corporation Counsel on questions
and issues pertaining to the commission's powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and
liabilities pursuant to HRS 92 -5 (2) (4) and Hawaii County Charter Section 13 -20 (b).
Commissioner Ono seconded, and it carried unanimously.
Executive session convened at 10:06 a.m.
Open session reconvened at 11:58 a.m.
ACTION ON EXECUTIVE SESSION MATTERS
• Complaint HPC 10 -14: Complainant made a complaint with the police department
in 2006. She questioned the suspension of the case and requests that it be routed
to the prosecutor. The commission accepted the complaint and requested
information from Chief Kubojiri. Commissioner Sumja moved to defer to the next
meeting. Commissioner Victorine seconded, and it carried unanimously.
• Complaint HPC 10 -22: Complainant was arrested for a TRO violation. She alleged
misconduct throughout the entire process. Commissioner Sumja moved to defer to
the next meeting in order to give the complainant another opportunity to attend the
meeting. Commissioner Victorine seconded, and it carried unanimously.
STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS — None.
Hawaii Police Commission
Regular Session Minutes
August 19, 2010
Page 4
ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Chair Whittemore announced that the Police Commission's next monthly meeting
would be on Thursday, September 30, 2010, in the Hamakua Conference Room of
the County Building at 25 Aupuni St., Hilo.
• Collection of files and documents. — Done.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 12:05 p.m.
SUBMITTED:
Josie Pelayo
JOSIE PELAYO, SECRETARY
APPROVED:
Tom Whittemore
TOM WHITTEMORE, CHAIR