LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i Chief of Police Darryl Perry’s concern the department has gone without in-house legal counsel for five months was addressed with the appointment of a new deputy county attorney. Nicholas Courson was introduced Friday as a new deputy
LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i Chief of Police Darryl Perry’s concern the department has gone without in-house legal counsel for five months was addressed with the appointment of a new deputy county attorney.
Nicholas Courson was introduced Friday as a new deputy to be assigned to KPD.
Born in Waimea and raised in Kalaheo until age 10, Courson moved to the Midwest and graduated from Michigan State University and John Marshall Law School in Chicago, where he lived and worked for eight years before moving to O‘ahu last April.
“I spent the last 20 years trying to get back,” Courson said.
Courson said he is excited to be working for the Kaua‘i County Attorney’s office and his assignment to KPD. The position requires legal consulting on department matters, and overseeing the three-year national certification process for the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
“The department and the Commission are 100 percent behind (accreditation) and we are dedicated to it and were greatly anticipating your arrival,” said Commission Chair James O’Connor. “I know that will be among the priorities of the department.”
The KPD attorney position has been vacant since previous Deputy County Attorney Justin Kollar was elected to be the County Prosecuting Attorney and took office last December.
Commissioner Randy Francisco provided an update on the logistics of the State of Hawai‘i Police Commissioners Conference that will be hosted by the Kaua‘i Police Commission. It will be held at the Aston Aloha Beach Hotel on May 23-24.
Fundraising has been a challenge with 11 other events being held in May, he said. So far one even sponsor is confirmed but without more, some of the event funds may need to be reallocated to cover the reception costs.
The conference theme, speakers and workshops are still to be confirmed, Francisco said. So far there are 40 participants confirmed to attend with concern for the police commissions that are in a fiscal crunch.
“It will be a worthwhile conference and we want to let the taxpayers know that this will be worth investment and participation,” Francisco said.
O’Connor said the Commission and KPD would be updating the community on the Alarm Registration Permit. He said business owners and residents need to be aware of registry now that the false-alarm ordinance is in effect.
“From the last report there were about 100 people that have registered already,” O’Connor said.
Commission Vice Chair Charles Iona said the ordinance is a requirement for businesses that have registered with an alarm company. The Commission would be looking into requirements for home alarms, he said.
Detective James Miller was named the KPD Employee of the Month for April. He was recognized for his leadership in the 2010 first-degree murder case that resulted in a guilty verdict at trial in March 2013.
The KPD also received three letters of commendation during April. One was for an officer’s assistance with a group in preparing for a demonstration in Po‘ipu, and two others were for helping to locate a missing person and expediency in handling a request.
The Commission went into executive session to discuss the ongoing legal issues relating to the 5th Circuit Declaratory Action regarding the powers of the mayor’s officer over the police chief.
The executive session was also for the Commission to discuss a communication from Chief Perry requesting legal representation for an officer. Discussion also included a request that KPD provide information relating to a report of theft to the Prosecuting Attorney.
Other citizen complaints discussed by the Commission in executive session included and allegation that the conduct of an officer was unprofessional by mistreating the complainant during the arrest. Another complaint alleges an officer did not provide a requested status report regarding a theft to the complainant.
The fourth complaint alleges that an officer failed to serve court documents to a defendant that resulted in an unnecessary continuance of a court hearing.
The next Police Commission meeting is May 31 at 9 a.m. in the Mo’ikeha Building Meeting Room 2A/2B.
