Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-06-20 Police Commission Regular Minutes HAWAI‘I POLICE COMMISSION REGULAR SESSION MINUTES JUNE 20, 2014 AUPUNI CENTER CONFERENCE ROOM 101 PAUAHI ST., HILO, HAWAII CALL TO ORDER Chair Bertsch called the meeting to order at 9:09 a.m. ROLL CALL Present: John M. Bertsch, Chair Guy K. Schutte, Vice Chair Robert G. Gomes, Sr., Commissioner Peter L. Hendricks, Commissioner Karolyn P. Lundkvist, Commissioner Keith T. Morioka, Commissioner Kenneth T. Ono, Commissioner Leroy J. Victorine, Commissioner A quorum was present. Also Present: Harry Kubojiri, Police Chief Paul Ferreira, Deputy Chief Paul Kealoha, Assistant Chief Marshall Kanehailua, Assistant Chief Henry Tavares, Assistant Chief Kenneth Bugado, Captain Molly Stebbins, Corporation Counsel Josie Pelayo, Secretary STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS - None APPROVAL OF AGENDA Vice Chair Schutte motioned to approve the agenda. Commissioner Gomes seconded, and it carried unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Victorine motioned to approve the minutes of May 16, 2014, regular and executive sessions. Vice Chair Schutte seconded, and it carried unanimously. COMMUNICATIONS Correspondence 14-04, invitation to the Annual HawaiÒi State Law Enforcement Officials Association Conference September 24-25, 2014, hosted by the Maui Police Department. Chair Bertsch asked the commissioners to notify Ms. Pelayo if they are interested in attending the conference. Vice Chair Schutte motioned to accept and file this correspondence. Commissioner Victorine seconded, and it carried unanimously. HawaiÒi Police Commission Regular Session Minutes June 20, 2014 Page 2 POLICE CHIEF’S REPORT ON DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES Including, but not limited to: Crime report by area, category, and trends. Assistant Chief Tavares reported that up to May 31, they were 7,870 serious crimes. The Criminal Investigation Units investigated 2,025 of these crimes. For the month of May, they received 7,910 calls for services of which 2,571 were for criminal/traffic and 5,339 were for miscellaneous public assistance. In the month of May, they saw a large number of burglaries in the Kaumana and Waiakea areas where Items such as weed eaters and gardening tools were taken from carports. A number of cars were broken into while the owners were at home. They are addressing this with weekly emails to neighborhood watches and encouraging people to belong to these organizations. This raises their awareness to be on the look out for suspicious people and cars in the neighbor. They just filmed a PSA on burglary prevention. They are in the process of filming three segments in ÐLiving in ParadiseÑ on how to burglar proof your home. North and South Kohala had no reported burglaries. Burglaries in Puna are down. CIS, vice, and patrol work the area and bring information together. There are a lot of variables that affect the burglary rate. Kona continues to have complaints about the homeless and juveniles drinking in public. There was a decrease in camping violations and burglaries but a slight increase in auto thefts. They are addressing these problems with CPOs informing the public, bike and foot patrols, other county agencies, and utilizing federal grants. KaÓu had an increase in burglaries and thefts; suspects have been identified. CPOs continue to work with the informing the public. Assistant Chief Kealoha reported that since the arrest of two individuals in the national park following an auto accident, burglaries have been reduced. Both adults came out of Hilo. Traffic report by area, category, and trends. AC Kealoha reported having a decrease in traffic fatalities. There was one fatal traffic crash on Highway 11 where an individual crossed the center line. There were no traffic trends. AC Tavares stated that Route 11 is a problem area for them. The stealth unit is still being used. They are looking to purchase a third one for use in the Puna District. AC Kealoha stated that the stealth unit allows them to verify the complaints of speeding. Personnel report on vacancies, recruitment, training, promotions, reallocations, severance from service, and work assignments. Assistant Chief Kanehailua reported having 25 sworn vacancies. They continue with nd the screening process for the 82 recruit class. They are in the process of filling the PO III vacancies and opening positions for sergeants/detectives. HawaiÒi Police Commission Regular Session Minutes June 20, 2014 Page 3 In response to Chair BertschÓs inquiry about SROs in the high schools, Deputy Chief Ferreira stated that they use federal grants that target the middle schools. Chief Kubojiri further stated that they found that putting SROs in middle schools is the best use of their resources, and the students establish a bond with the police officers. Nothing prohibits the SROs from going to the high schools, and they do go to the high schools. They are asking for more funds for more SROs. It is a competitive grant that pays 75% and the county pays 25%. AC Kanehailua reported having two critical vacancies in the crime lab. Their HR Specialist will be moving to County HR. School crossing guard vacancies continue. Vacancies in dispatch are an ongoing process. Finance report of budget and expenditures. AC Kanehailua reported that they will be slightly over budget for salaries and wages due to the increases. They may end up with a small fund balance which will go back to the county. They budgeted for all the pay increases for next year. Upgrades for dispatch and the radio system are planned for next year. Commendations of sworn and civilian employees. Chief Kubojiri reported receiving 12 commendations involving 27 employees since the last commission meeting - 3 in Hilo, 1 in North Hilo, 2 in Puna, 4 in South Kohala, and 2 in Kona. Other departmental activities. Chief Kubojiri reported that the commanders now do an analysis on traffic trends, and the ACs over see them. Regarding crime trends, there are groups out there that they constantly looking out for. When they catch them, the counts go down. Traffic accidents are usually in the same places. Commanders do the prioritizing for their area. If they need someone else outside their pool, they can request assistance. Last monthÓs community meeting in Kona was held in the evening to make it more accessible to people who work during the day. Unfortunately, not many people showed up. After that meeting, they did an active shooter presentation. Only about two dozen people showed up for this. They will do another presentation next week Monday at Aunty SallyÓs at 5:30 p.m. They will start with the community meeting, and the active shooter presentation will follow. They recently had a police/media meeting which is held three times a year. The meetings are held for both sides to understand what each side can and cannot do and to resolve any issues they might have. th Next month, in addition to the 4 of July celebrations, they will have the Hilo Marathon on July 13. It will start and finish in Keaukaha at 4 miles. Unlike Kona, the motorists donÓt have an opportunity to turn around anywhere on the Hmkua Coast. They are trying to find out the critical intersections to place police officers. HawaiÒi Police Commission Regular Session Minutes June 20, 2014 Page 4 Chief Kubojiri and Fire Chief Rosario will be co-chairs for the upcoming United Way campaign. The Police Department has been a pacesetter for a number of years. Chief Kubojiri will be on a task force to make recommendations to the Legislature for the establishment of a statewide dispensary system for medical marijuana. Chief Kubojiri and Deputy Chief Ferreira met with the Cost of Government Commission, and they have been tasked to come up with a report by the third quarter of next year. The last time the commission made recommendations, it had collective bargaining contractual issues. Recess was called at 10:16 a.m. The meeting reconvened at 10:45 a.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION Vice Chair Schutte motioned to meet in executive session to consult with Corporation Counsel on questions and issues pertaining to the commission's powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and liabilities; to consider discipline and charges against officers or employees of the HawaiÒi Police Department; and to consider sensitive matters relating to public safety pursuant to HRS 92-5 (a) (2) (4) (6) and the HawaiÒi County Charter Section 13-20 (b). Commissioner Victorine seconded, and it carried unanimously. Executive session convened at 10:46 a.m. (Commissioner Ono exited the meeting at 1:10 a.m.) Open session reconvened at 1:50 p.m. ACTION ON COMPLAINTS HPC 14-09: Complainant alleged that two officers lied about a traffic stop. Vice Chair Schutte motioned that there was insufficient evidence to prove the complainantÓs allegations of misconduct. Commissioner Gomes seconded, and it carried unanimously. HPC 14-10: Complainant was arrested for DUI. She alleged that an officerÓs report was not correct. She also complained about things the officer said to her, and that his treatment of her was unprofessional and aggressive. Commissioner Victorine motioned to refer the complaint to the Police Chief for further investigation. Commissioner Morioka seconded, and it carried unanimously. HPC 14-11: Complainant alleged that officers harassed her and her boyfriend and complained about how they were treated following a traffic stop. Commissioner Lundkvist motioned that there was insufficient evidence to prove the complainantÓs allegations of misconduct. Vice Chair Schutte seconded, and it carried unanimously. HawaiÒi Police Commission Regular Session Minutes June 20, 2014 Page 5 HPC 14-12: Complainant complained about the manner in which an officer spoke to her, and that the officer favored another establishment over hers. Commissioner Gomes motioned that there was insufficient evidence to prove the complainantÓs allegations of misconduct. Commissioner Lundkvist seconded, and it carried unanimously. HPC 14-13: Complainant was arrested for DUI. She complained about things an officer at the scene said to her, and that his treatment of her was unnecessary and unprofessional. Commissioner Victorine motioned to refer the complaint to the Police Chief for further investigation. Commissioner Morioka seconded, and it carried unanimously. HPC 14-15: Complainant alleged that an officer sent him a text message that was an abuse of her position, and that she has shown this behavior towards him at other times. Vice Chair Schutte motioned that there was insufficient evidence to prove the complainantÓs allegations of misconduct. Commissioner Victorine seconded, and it carried unanimously. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Bertsch announced that the Police CommissionÓs next monthly meeting will be on Friday, July 18, 2014, at 9:00 a.m., at the West HawaiÒi Civic Center, Building G Conference Rm., 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Kailua-Kona, HawaiÒi. Collection of files and documents Î done. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 2:08 p.m. SUBMITTED BY: JOSIE PELAYO, SECRETARY APPROVED BY: JOHN M. BERTSCH, CHAIR