HANALEI — Several North Shore residents were invited to meet and greet new Kauai Police Department Chief Todd Raybuck, as well as Lt. Todd Tanaka, acting North Shore captain, and Capt. Mark Begley, patrol captain for the entire island.
According to Citizens Against Thieves, Raybuck spoke enthusiastically about leaving his position on the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to bring his family to Kauai.
“He appreciates the community’s warm aloha as well as the island’s beauty,” a press release said.
Raybuck asked the community to assist in recruiting 30 new police officers, since many of his senior officers have recently retired.
There are only a few recruits currently in training, and a real need for additional manpower, he said. The police program takes commitment to a year of training. KPD is looking for officers who come to Kauai and plan to stay here.
When asked what residents could do to help the police, Raybuck smiled and answered quickly.
“Thank the officers.” he said.
“Give them a handshake or a cup of coffee. Tell them that you appreciate their work to keep our island paradise safe,” the release said. “They are not boogey men who lock up naughty children. Keiki should know that an officer is the person who offers safety.”
He asked that families teach keiki that police officers work to help in an emergency. Once again, he reiterated the message that residents can help recruit officers.
The chief was asked why the public frequently sees two police cruisers following one another on patrol.
There are 10 patrol districts on the island. Officers may be as much as 20 minutes apart. If there is a call involving any violence, such as domestic disputes or confrontations, two officers are paired together to investigate. The officers back up one another on those calls, then stay together for the remainder of the day, Raybuck explained.
Asked about issuance of tickets for cars parked illegally, Raybuck said he is considering community involvement with volunteers ticketing parking violations.
Asked about delays after accidents, Raybuck explained that police everywhere examine the site of an accident involving severe injury or death. Police need to properly diagram the accident and make records to build out the accident scene item-by-item to insure accountability.
These examinations may take six to eight hours to complete. On the mainland, traffic is detoured around the accident site. However, Kauai does not always enjoy the option of alternate routes. He promised to review traffic-safety policies to find areas for improvement, the release said.
“CAT welcomes Chief Raybuck to Kauai,” the release said. “We look forward to working with him and his officers to insure the safety of our neighborhoods.”
