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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-07-21 Police Commission Regular MinutesHAWAII POLICE COMMISSION REGULAR SESSION MINUTES JULY 21, 2017 WEST HAWAII CIVIC CENTER CALL TO ORDER Chair Morioka called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. ROLL CALL Present: Keith Morioka, Chair Peter Hendricks, Vice Chair Arthur Buckman, Commissioner Carl Carlson, Commissioner Wayne De Luz, Commissioner Paul Paiva, Commissioner Colleen Pasco, Commissioner Absent: Jak Hu, Commissioner A quorum was present. Also Present: Paul Ferreira, Police Chief Kenneth Bugado, Deputy Police Chief Marshall Kanehailua, Assistant Chief Mitchell Kanehailua, Assistant Chief Henry Tavares, Assistant Chief Burt Shimabukuro, Captain Malia Hall, Deputy Corporation Counsel Josie Pelayo, Secretary APPROVAL OF AGENDA Vice Chair Hendricks motioned to approve the agenda. Commissioner Buckman seconded, and it carried unanimously. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS (None.) APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JUNE 16, 2017 Vice Chair Hendricks motioned to approve the regular and executive session minutes with a non -substantive change to the regular session minutes. Commissioner Buckman seconded, and it carried unanimously. COMMUNICATIONS Correspondence No. 17-06: Invitation to the Annual Hawaii State Law Enforcement Officials Association (HSLEOA) Conference, September 21-22, hosted by the Honolulu Police Commission: Chair Morioka stated that they would like to limit the number of attendees to two or three so they could have more people attend the State Police Hawaii Police Commission Meeting Minutes July 21, 2017 Page 2 Commission Conference. Commissioners Buckman and Paiva expressed interest in attending the conference. FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT (No report.) POLICE CHIEF'S REPORT ON DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES • Crime Report: Assistant Chief Tavares reported that up through June 20, there were 7,538 serious crimes, of which 1,549 were investigated by the Criminal Investigation Units. They received 8,758 calls for service in June. Burglaries in Hawaii Ocean View is still a concern. East Hawaii had an increase in auto thefts in the past three months. They reorganized their Special Enforcement Unit and added officers who are well -verse in auto thefts. There is a small group of auto thieves, and some are stealing from each other. Cars are mostly stolen from private citizens. • Traffic Report: Assistant Chief Mitchell Kanehailua reported that for the fiscal year, they had 1,396 traffic crashes, 41 traffic fatalities, and 19 DUI fatalities. For the month of June, 4,803 citations were issued: 3,100 moving/regulator, 391 seatbelt, 40 child restraint, and 1,272 for speeding. They are concerned about excess speeding on the Daniel K. Inouye Highway from the park to Highway 19. AC Kanehailua briefed the commission on the County and Police Department's efforts to address homelessness around the island. The Old Kona Airport will be closed on August 9 and 10 for maintenance and cleanup and removal of the homeless. He believes that a good number of homeless people like their living situation. To address the problem, they need to take away what makes it attractive to them. They could minimize accessibility to money and food. A lot of homeless camps have health issues. Sanitation is a big problem. Commissioners expressed concerned that the homeless problem is taking a lot of law enforcement man hours away from the police. If they don't address it, it will continue. Assistant Chief Tavares reported that they have a large number of homeless in downtown Hilo in alcoves and alleys and encampments in Wailoa State Park and in the area by Firestone. They focus on keeping them moving. They don't want it to increase like on Oahu. A lot of crimes in downtown Hilo are theft by homeless on homeless. In downtown Pahoa, business owners have provided food and a place to sleep. In Puna, homeless families are seen taking up residence in vacant homes. Assistant Chief Marshall Kanehailua stated that he has seen the homeless problem start to increase 10 years ago when Governor Abercrombie cut funding for mental health services. Hawaii Police Commission Meeting Minutes July 21, 2017 Page 3 • Personnel Report: Assistant Chief Marshall Kanehailua reported having 6 sworn vacancies. PO I recruitment will be in August. The FBI is having a huge recruitment, so it's possible some of their younger officers will be interested. Dispatch is having realistic job interviews with 19 applicants for 6 positions. An organization is interested in taking over the school crossing guards. • Finance Report: Assistant Chief Marshall Kanehailua stated that they were $1.5 million over in overtime, but due to vacancies and pay lag, they had a fund balance. They will receive 250 Glocks with a buy-back program of their old Smith & Wesson. They will get all the guns upfront through a 5 -year payment plan, as long as the Mayor and Corporation Counsel agrees. They will be purchasing 70 more CEWs. • Commendations of Sworn and Civilian Employees: Chief Ferreira reported receiving 16 commendations involving 51 personnel since the last meeting. • Other Departmental Activities: Chief Ferreira reported that regarding the Special Task Force, a lot of the credit goes to the officers out in the field. With regards to homelessness, being homeless is not a crime. Law enforcement is the band-aid. The Mayor has tasked the Housing Department with this issue. All agencies, including the State, are involved. There are number of people who will not take advantage of the services, and there will be a few who want to continue to live by the beach. It becomes a law enforcement issue when there are violations. Hawaii does not have a sit -lie down ordinance. Sometimes law enforcement is called, but they cannot do anything if it's just a public nuisance. There are a lot of transplants on the island. People recently released from hospitals on mainland end up here, and they don't know how they got here. They will clean up Old A, but unless they keep up with the enforcement, the problem will continue. P & R is looking at private security at the old airport. The Mayor said the police is the last resort. Unfortunately, the police is the most visible. Recess was called at 10:15 a.m. The meeting reconvened at 10:28 a.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION Commissioner Carlson motioned to meet in executive session to consider discipline and charges against officers or employees of the Hawaii Police Department, 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 Hawaii Police Commission Meeting Minutes July 21, 2017 Page 4 Charter Section 13-20 (b). Vice Chair Hendricks seconded, and it carried unanimously. Executive session convened at 10:30 a.m. Regular session reconvened at 11:35 a.m. CONSIDERATION AND INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINTS • HPC 17-12: Complainant alleged that when officers went to her home to assist her boyfriend in retrieving his belongings, one of the officers entered her home without permission, used profanity while talking to her, and threatened to use his Taser on her. Commissioner De Luz motioned that there was insufficient evidence of misconduct, and that the officer's actions were lawful and proper. Vice Chair Hendricks seconded, and it carried unanimously. • HPC 17-19: Complainant alleged that an officer gave him bogus citations. Vice Chair Hendricks motioned that there was insufficient evidence of misconduct, and that the officer's actions were lawful and proper. Commissioner Paiva seconded, and it carried unanimously. ANNOUNCEMENTS • Chair Morioka announced that the Police Commission's next monthly meeting will be on Friday, August 11, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. in the Aupuni Center Conference Room, 101 Pauahi St., Hilo, Hawaii. • Collection of files and documents. (Done.) ADJOURNMENT Vice Chair Hendricks motioned to adjourn. Commissioner Buckman seconded, and it carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 11:40 a.m. SUBMITTED BY: JOSIE PELAYO, SECRETARY APPROVED BY: KEITH MORIOKA, CHAIR