KOLOA — The presenters often outnumbered community members but there were plenty of questions at the first two public safety meetings in Kilauea and Koloa. Representatives of Kauai‘i County Council, the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney and Police Department each
KOLOA — The presenters often outnumbered community members but there were plenty of questions at the first two public safety meetings in Kilauea and Koloa.
Representatives of Kauai‘i County Council, the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney and Police Department each presented and responded to a range of questions from residents. Four more meetings are scheduled for next week.
The remaining meetings will be held at 6 p.m. July 23 at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center; July 24 at the Lihu‘e Neighborhood Center; July 26 at the Waimea Neighborhood Center; and July 27 at the Kapa‘a Neighborhood Center.
County Council Member Mel Rapozo, chair of the Public Safety Committee, County Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho, and KPD Assistant Chiefs Roy Asher and Ale Quibilan were present at previous meetings with other staff and officers.
On Thursday, a Koloa resident said she felt police pay more attention to traffic enforcement than to drug crimes and burglaries. The resident said both are a daily occurrence at nearby beaches and expressed concern about more daylight invasions.
Asher said the traffic division is dedicated solely to enforcement.
He said the increased traffic enforcement is in response to serious accidents and has statistically proven to be effective.
Quibilan said road fatalities were half of what they had been the two previous years.
He said the Westside suffered half of these fatalities, at a time when no road-related deaths were reported on the North Shore, and said the credit goes to strong enforcement.
The resident expressed concern that private and commercial vehicles are driving through side roads to avoid speed bumps and radar on the main road. They are presenting a pedestrian hazard between the condos the beach, she said.
People will want a speed bump on every street and an officer on every corner, but that is not possible, Quibilan said.
Illegal parking along beaches, parks and at sporting events presents another pedestrian hazard.
Iseri-Carvalho said island roads lacks shoulders and that is compounded when residents place plants, rocks or other obstructions to discourage parking. She said people still park and block the road to one lane creating a problem for emergency vehicles.
Rapozo said the county sent letters to ensure people don’t block the road easement.
Ken Taylor presented a concern about Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, which is used on credit cards and presents a new type of identity theft issue. The digital signal can be scanned from a distance is vulnerable to hackers with their own equipment.
“This is a potentially serious problem in a tourism center,” Ken said.
A resident raised concern about medical marijuana permits and a powerful lobby that is pushing for lighter control of pain management clinics to full legalization.
Iseri-Carvalho said law enforcement and the county prosecutors on all the islands oppose transferring medical marijuana management from the Department of Public Safety to the Department of Health.
“We need to be one voice,” she said.
Rapozo said the Legislature does not consider medical marijuana to be an issue. He does not oppose a permit for patients that need it, but said easing standards to qualify, grow or sell is a mistake.
Hawai‘i law presents a high standard for prosecutors to prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt, said Iseri-Carvalho. Not only are privacy rights among the strongest in the nation, she said the courts must adapt to crimes that were virtually unheard of a few years ago.
Felony thefts related to the theft, possession, use, sale and trafficking of prescription drugs is relatively recent, she said. It is difficult to prosecute without revisions to the law, she added.
Crimes against visitors are also difficult to prosecute when the victims do not want to return as a witness in their case, she said.
A Kola couple brought up the vacant police officer positions, and asked if there would be more officers on the road when those positions are filled.
Asher said the under-strength department is working three overlapping shifts on a five- to six-day schedule. There are 14 openings and 10 recruits are now going through the academy, he said.
“Because of the shortages some of the officers are only getting one or two days off, and that is where we are at right now,” Asher said.
According to the OPA, participants at the Kilauea town hall wanted to know about homeowner rights against invaders and if they can kill a feral animal that is destroying their crops.
Iseri-Carvalho called both “it depends” questions that need circumstantial factors to answer in each situation.
In response to questions about construction zone speed limits after hours or when no workers are present, Asher said the signs should be covered.
If not, it may mean the presence of a construction or road hazard.
“If the sign is not covered then, yes, that is the speed limit,” Asher said.
The Neighborhood Watch programs are popular and the challenge is to maintain a commitment. Participating in the new KPD Citizens Police Academy was also encouraged.
The importance of discouraging false alarms that slow response time to real calls is a real problem, according to Asher.
It is carelessness when motion detectors are tripped by household pets, or equipment malfunctions for lack of a maintenance plan, he said.
Rapozo said a council bill would charge residents after two incidents where a residential home alarm system generates a false alarm. He said it costs money and is preventable.
For information contact Charles Foster at 241-1729 or cfoster@kauai.gov.
• Tom LaVenture, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or by emailing tlaventure@thegardenisland.com.
