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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGovernment Services sortedGovernment Services F] Police and fire department — general comments More police on patrol Police and fire dept —Good APolice and fire department— criticism and suggestions Emergency services — response times Emergency plans needed — geothermal and other concerns Post office - -good Post Office — Suggestions . Library Good — General comments Miscellaneous or Overview comments Comments in grey are listed for the second time as they address more than one topic Police and fire department — general comments When the police aren't looking for expired safety checks and seat belts not used, they are commonly used for traffic safety in construction. We have had 2 very recent fires on state property adjacent to Nanawale on Forest Road for which the Fire department responded and did a great job, especially with the helo (that's what military personnel call helicopters. Choppers are motorcycles or false teeth). Post office is too small for the population, but for what they have they are to be commended. I suppose we in Nanawale need to be advised of a tsunami. Keep police force small and friendly. Government Services Page 1 It would be nice if the community and police could create a mission statement together, and mutually agreed upon, just for Pahoa. The facilities are very good, and new! The police are often difficult to deal with. LOVE the new trash transfer station. More police on patrol More police force needed in and around Pahoa, including for subdivisions. Puna needs a funcitoning Civil Defense plan. We need more officers. The new Fire /Police Station is wonderful and it is a huge plus to be able to do licensing and registration in Pahoa instead of going into Hilo. The only down side that I can tell is the minimal police presence. They are normally concentrated in one or two areas instead of spreading out. This is the country and the service is starting to get better than it was. There is still a shortage of officers for this area but all areas are always short. The layout of this area makes it very hard for the police department to cover everywhere while on patrol. Fire Department is really as good as it can get for this type of area Some apples and oranges here. County services: fire is generally impeccable, police are rarely to be found, happy to hear the siren on the first Monday, otherwise no opinion. Post Office people are great, but they need a larger facility. There should be more police offciers on different watchs because sometimes there isnt enough. Volunteer fire departments should be established in lower Puna because it takes -30 mins for Pahoa's to reach a fire in Kehena or Seaview or Opihikao. what police patroling puna coast. Th police could have a stronger presence in Pahoa Town. It's been a little different since they moved to the highway. Police should have more presence in town, especially derelict areas like Community Center parking lot & Cash & Carry Government Services Page 2 We have lovely new buildings to house these services however we sorely lack the police staff to adequately service the population Police and Postal services in the housing tracts as Nanawale Estates is almost non - existent. the police should be on the road more often trying to catch all the bad people speeding on the road Although there is adequate "coverage" the size of the Pahoa area mandates that there be a greater degree of services, especially in police and fire services These services have been greatly improved with the addition of the new fire and police station that is located between Makuu Drive and Pahoa town. However, the police must patrol not only HHP and Pahoa town area, but the greater Puna district towns of Kalapana and Ainaloa and everything in- between up to Keaau. More police and fire personnel are needed to adequately and effective service this entire area. The new police /fire stations are a big plus. I am however still very uncomfortable walking the streets of pahoa town (especially near Cash & Carry & the restaurant strip). There are far too many shady characters walking the streets. With the new fire and police stations we are sitting in the catbird seat. Now we need twice the number of troopers out on patrol. What we have is good as far as it goes within the town. We need police on the ground in town. love the new facility, but only 8 police on duty at one time ... not enough for the Puna District Not enough police on staff to take care of Pahoa town, little lone the entier area of Puna. Post office is quite small for a large surrounding community. maybe more positive community interfacing with police? even though there is a police /fire station nearby and post office, it seems there is routinely violence breaking out in pahoa town that makes it unattractive to visit. There are not enough officers for the size of Puna Government Services Page 3 Police and fire dept —Good now that new bldg. and police, fire dept, motor veh8icle in town don't have to go to hilo The new station is beautiful and convenient. great to see solar at the new police station. fire is good. (underlined good) rest poor. Post office inadequate. Yea for the new Police /Fire with the police & fire stations centrally located help seems more quiclky available I can see the police really doing good on their job We have the new Fire, Police and Motor Vehicle registration buildings; yippee! Friendly postal workers, fire dept on the ball! That's cool that the DMV came here. new police /fire station great Have had reason to use fire and police. The response time, care, and professionalism was great. The new police station and fire station is a big improvement. The post office needs more automated updated services Police and fire department— criticism and suggestions to many cops- post office needs work Quicker response by police /fire to subdivisions. Police need to concentrate on hard drugs & not show up in droves for minor occurances POLICE ACT LIKE GODS not civil servants Government Services Page 4 should investigate thefts better, should make surveillance cameras operable and keep cams rolling Police cannot do all they need to do. There are people talking on phones and driving around and police do not have time to stop them. The police are too busy working on domestic issues and the same needy families and cannot enforce the laws. You can see big tires all over the island, but police do not enforce the laws. If you want a police officer to come to you neighborhood you will have to wait a long time. There is speeding in all neighborhoods and it is dangerous for people who live in these neighborhoods to take a walk or ride a bicycle, because of speeders and people on their cell phones driving in the neighborhood. Police to active on non essentials Civil Defense ready for Geothermal It is hard to believe how inadequately staffed our police are and how illequipped they are to deal with break -ins. They seemed pretty defeated. With the drug use /abuse being as high as it is and the crimes associated with the abuse, it seems that our police staffing /coverage should be commensurate with the crime rate in the Puna district. I have recently suffered a break -in in the Fern Acres area and the police determined that it was most likely carried out by drug users. As a tax payer, I feel that I have the right to be safe in my own neighborhood. I am on a 2 year long waiting list to get a post box my local Post Office in Mt. View ... need I say more. the police are wasting our resources on things like marijuana instead of violent crimes Police? What Police? When I lived down in Kalapana area, I saw maybe TWO cops patrolling the red road. no more speed traps! The police are not very good and we get less than our share. Law enforcement around here is a joke. Ok, to comment on these separately: Police: we have a beautiful new police station, but any new officers? When 911 is called for a report of violence, they wait typically 30 minutes to respond. When my property was robbed twice (once when an officer actually caught the guy and let him go) they just said there was nothing they could do. Fire: No personal experience, seems well equippped. Post office is terrible police using in town seatbelt checkpoint in a 25 mph zone w no side street traffic is not a public service and does not increase public safety What happened to the neighborhood cop? The ones that would walk the neighborhood and know everyone in it. That you felt comfortable telling your kids that they could be trusted and would render aid? where is the "Serve and Protect "? The way police inappropriately use and flaunt power over the people of Pahoa needs desperate improvement. The new police station in Pahoa was unnecessary. Until the Department of Police can Government Services Page 5 11 have an independent oversight organization that is able to hold police accountable for wrong doings, the more we increase the police force, the more we increase an overall atmosphere of recklessness and violence in Pahoa. As long as our police flaunt their power over citizens with no accessible and significant accountability, the state of the police will always be poor and need improvement. Well during the one time I met with an officer, he managed to not call me a fucking haole. That was after I'd mentioned surfing West Side O'ahu and he said I'd get killed. I'm like, no brah, most people are nice, unlike you, most people aren't racists, unlike you, and if anyone gives me shit in Nanakuli or Makaha I say, "I look like one mainland ha'ole to you bra' ?" Emergency services — response times EMERGENCY SERVICES TAKE FOREVER BECAUSE IT IS RURAL, BUT THEY DO COME. Police & Fire need more substations emergency Near subdivisions for more rapid 1st response ambulances seem to take longer to reach destinations than is practiclal. I once called 911 because a woman on my street in Seaview was screaming "let me go" and was pulled into a car by a man who drove off. The police took 50 minutes to arrive. I could drive to the police station from here in 15 minutes easily. Police should drive 90mph down 130 and could be here in 10 minutes. Slow response times to issues in this area. The police and emergency response takes too much time. Cops take to long to show up to a residence when needed or when a call was made The Police take so long when you need them! The Post office is Excellent. Police - at sometimes takes over an hour to get police to your home The police could improve their response for those of us on the Red Road Government Services Page 6 Emergency plans needed — geothermal and other concerns Where are the safe rooms for school children and seniors to breathe clean air? geothermal emissions? toxic gas monitors @school? civil defense has done ZERO for Pahoa. P.O services have always been disgraceful - -one person at desk, in lines out the door, no help for elders or disabled unless they are pushy enough too ask for it and most aren't ... they are shy and polite. We need a civil defence awarning around Puna because we as the people that live here should be aware of whats happening in our community. Police to active on non essentials Civil Defense ready for Geothermal good, except for geothermal emergency plan. Is there one? No evac plan for Geothermal accident These should not all be in one question as they are all different answers. Fire coverage seems improved with new fire station. Post Office OK. Civil Defense, don't know, except that after 11+ years there is still no plan for PGV emergencies. Police have nice new station but are still incompetent and 'ainokea' or worse in my personal experience. Fair for Post Office not because of service there (friendly, efficient) but because of traffic issues. No easy solution there, but if there could eventually be local shuttle buses, like Indonesian Bimu/ Philippine Jeepney for Pahoa town, congestion there and elsewhere in Pahoa could be somewhat relieved. Civil Defense: people in Pahoa need to have evacuation plans for lava, earthquake, GT blowout; low awareness of what to do in Pahoa, especially for elderly w/o transportation. Post office - -good Post office is too small for the population, but for what they have they are to be commended P.O. is very good - Library is Fair only ... it should be open wekends when people have time to visit it. Post Office is great. They work so hard and still manage to be cheerful all the time. The Police take so long when you need them! The Post office is Excellent. Government Services Page 7 Friendly postal workers, fire dept on the ball! The expanded parking lot at the post office is a big improvement. The women who staff the counter are very helpful. Post office is quite small for a large surrounding community. Post Office is great! Great new police and fire stations and hardworking friendly postal workers. But we need more post office boxes! Post Office — Suggestions We need a bigger post office. helpful as ever, post office boxes are a bit too few for everyone but s0000 slow- need LARGER PO badly! Long lines @ PO. / Move PO boxes. Keep police force small and friendly. Bigger post office! Move it- it causes a lot of traffic congestion. to many cops- post office needs work Post Office is insufficient for this population. Too small, terrible layout, no available P.O. Boxes. The line at the post office takes forever, I never boyher going. While vastly improved current Post Office access is enadequate at times and bound to get worse with growing population Pahoa post office "redesign" of the auto flow is upsurd and difficult to negotiate. Government Services Page 8 Post office parking is a nightmare, especially for handicapped. In 25 years, it's gotten worse in many ways, not better. Needs to come up to standards of new police and fire stations! however, the post office needs till more parking but I would hate to see more parking lot Post office inadequate. Yea for the new Police /Fire . Post Office, This is a fine example of why the post office is loosing big money. One time they want to help the customer and then a couple weeks latrer they want nothing to do with the customer. One time I had a package sitting in the post office as it arrived that morning. Because it did not have my PO box number on they would not give it to me when I asked top pick it up. They decided to send the package back to the sender and the sender noticed how many packages I had received with that address on it. It also was not that they would have to go through a bunch of packages to find mine as only 5 packages for the day were returned to the senders. They came up with all sorts of reasons why after I reported the problem. I beleive the real problem was the Postmistress because the normal workers had been helpful in the past. P.O services have always been disgraceful - -one person at desk, in lines out the door, no help for elders or disabled unless they are pushy enough too ask for it and most aren't ... they are shy and polite. Post Office people are great, but they need a larger facility. Please get more staff at that post office. Those women are overworked! Post office is terrible, too small which includes the parking and the building. Parking is too far to transport your packages from the car to mailing your packages. Especially when you have alot of parcels to mail. Need bigger Post Office Post Office needs redesign of parking (one way in and out would help) Post Office parking lot is disastrous The Post Office should have a mailing machine for people to mail things after hours and to alleviate the often long lines. Volunteer fire departments should be established in lower Puna because it takes —30 mins for Pahoa's to reach a fire in Kehena or Seaview or Opihikao. Post office lines are way too long. It is discouraging to use the post office in Pahoa. Parking has become ridiculous. The postal workers talk to much to customers and are not efficient in their duties. the post office parking lot is a nightmare! although the orchids across the street are a fine example of "local culture" Government Services Page 9 PO has the worst design parking lot ever & is too small for growth The post office location creates traffic problems ... not only to the highway going through town, but the parking lot itself. EXCEPT FOR THE POST OFFICE The post office access is a mess - let people get near the PL >O> - Remove PO trucks & hurricane fence - HANDICAP & ELDERS have to walk too far. Post office has been insuficient for years, need more CPOs The Post Office should be moved to a larger lot. Like across the street from where it is now. Fair for Post Office not because of service there (friendly, efficient) but because of traffic issues. No easy solution there need new post office post office poor others G Need better PO parking. The post office should be moved to thhe edge of town The new stations are pretty much proof that this infrastructure is growing.... With the government services throwing money towards police and fire, you KNOW an area is growing ...... I will say that it seems like there could be more Post Office boxes available... and I also think that if the Post office isn't going to do door to door delivery everywhere they should at least offer more subdivision serviced PO boxes ... HPP has them ... but there again, not even enough for all of the residents as it is ..... Just a thought ..... l know...you did say to only consider the village area didn't you.... :) I can't get the post office to deliver mail to my home on a paved county road! Post Office needs space for additional boxes, parking, staffing Traffic flow or lack there of at Post office. Too much congestion. need a new post office theres no second way out of the area if the road closes Government Services Page 10 . Post office is terrible! 2 year wait list for a mail box-and the new parking lot is not helping much; you still can't get in or out of the building. They are understaffed, always long lines. More public blue boxes would be helpful. Really need a new post office with better parking and a new police station with parking and more visible location for the station. However, the post office needs to be expanded with more counter space. New Post Office!! Post office access is very difficult, not enough parking and lot poorly designed ? Post office redesign for parking is kinda inconvenient for customers, guess it works for postal employees and mail delivery The post office needs more automated updated services Except for post office it is way to small and crowded post office is a joke. They work hard but it seems that they need to balance service with need. The parking lot is terrible and I have suffered over 2,000 dollars in damage to my car because if it's poor layout. post office could have larger facility and staffing, parking is adequate but convoluted very nice new police, fire and ambulance services but can't say the same for post office. Very poor access and many stop at mail drop and go inside the building,leaving you stuck in neutral or back out onto the horrid narrow side street. Library P.O. is very good - Library is Fair only ... it should be open wekends when people have time to visit it. I wish the librarians at the library didn't have to be so brusk. I would like to see a larger library, maybe with som gallery space or something, Government Services Page 11 Good — General comments good standerds Great improvements We have enough government services. Lots of improvements have been made! We have lovely new buildings to house these services however we sorely lack the police staff to adequately service the population love the new construction! More updated facilities, awesome The new police station and firehouse are a major improvement. The expanded parking lot at the post office is a big improvement. The women who staff the counter are very helpful. The Fire Department, Post Office & Civil Defense are excellent. Miscellaneous or Overview comments All here None in District 6. a lot could be said about this Need more All here only Police & Fire- F Post Office and CD – P Postal Carrier usually late, you can bleed out before the PD arrives, Firefighters a little mo betta response time, Civil Defense, not sure. Government Services Page 12 These should not all be in one question as they are all different answers. Fire coverage seems improved with new fire station. Post Office OK. Civil Defense, don't know, except that after 11+ years there is still no plan for PGV emergencies. Police have nice new station but are still incompetent and 'ainokea' or worse in my personal experience. Fair for Post Office not because of service there (friendly, efficient) but because of traffic issues. No easy solution there, but if there could eventually be local shuttle buses, like Indonesian Bimu/ Philippine Jeepney for Pahoa town, congestion there and elsewhere in Pahoa could be somewhat relieved. Civil Defense: people in Pahoa need to have evacuation plans for lava, earthquake, GT blowout; low awareness of what to do in Pahoa, especially for elderly w/o transportation. Police are stretched very thin - numbers to area; Fire seems good; P.O.- could sure use some auto space, mostly access corridors, in and out. Not even safe. Civil Defense seems good. Post Office needs space for additional boxes, parking, staffing Police need to regularly patrol the town Removing the remote early voting site at Malama was a real blow to participation The new Police and Fire departments are GREAT new additions, but a new larger Post Office, also in the same vicinity as the above services, would be a safer place for all the traffic, that pours onto the small side street, that hosts the Post Office. I like the new fire and police stations and the post office has gotten a lot friendlier I have to say excellent with the new police, fire facilities, yet, the post office is still inconvenient. We've got police and fire stations; now we need a larger Post Office and a hurricane /safe building for evacuations. For Pahoa to grow properly, there needs to be more government services and better planning. Pahoa is rapidly becoming the hub for most of Puna. The facilities are very good, and new! The police are often difficult to deal with. LOVE the new trash transfer station. theres a presence.. wonderful intention horrible follow thru Government Services Page 13