Mayor Bryan Baptiste on Friday asked for the resignation of Kaua‘i police commissioner Leon Gonsalves, Sr. for having made racial slurs against newly appointed Kaua‘i Police Chief K.C. Lum. In a statement Saturday, Baptiste said he asked Gonsalves to step
Mayor Bryan Baptiste on Friday asked for the resignation of Kaua‘i police commissioner Leon Gonsalves, Sr. for having made racial slurs against newly appointed Kaua‘i Police Chief K.C. Lum.
In a statement Saturday, Baptiste said he asked Gonsalves to step down during a meeting Friday, but the commissioner told him he would not resign voluntarily.
Baptiste said he will formally ask the Kaua‘i County Council to remove Gonsalves, a process authorized under the Kaua‘i County Charter.
Gonsalves, a retired Kaua‘i police detective, was Baptiste’s sole appointee on the police commission.
Contacted Saturday afternoon, Gonsalves said he preferred not to comment on the matter at this time.
Lum, who served as the interim police chief, was one of three candidates for the top cop job on Kaua‘i. Gonsalves was reportedly the only commissioner to vote against Lum as the new police chief.
Baptiste’s call for Gonsalves to resign stemmed from an e-mail in which Gonsalves called Lum, who is of Chinese ancestry, “Hop Sing,” and newly appointed Deputy Public Chief Ron Venneman “Little Joe.”
Hop Sing and Little Joe were characters in the popular and long-running television series “Bonanza,” which aired in the 1960s
Baptiste said he took the action against Gonsalves to restore the public’s faith in the Kaua‘i Police Commission and the Kaua‘i Police Department.
“Leon Gonsalves is a good man,” Baptiste said. “Over the years he has proven that through his many community service activities.”
But Baptiste said he realizes that in a public role, even a volunteer position such as the commissioner, people are held to a higher standard of conduct.
“I believe that by asking for his resignation, we are taking the right course of action for the betterment of the police department and, in turn, the community,” Baptiste said.
While Baptiste had been criticized for the amount of time taken to reach a decision, he indicated he could not make an immediate judgment on the issue.
Baptiste said he had to fully examined the facts and speak with all involved before he could determine the best course of action for the commission, the police department and the individuals involved.
“In this situation, we are dealing with people who are part of our community, with families and relationships and reputations,” he said. “I took the time to thoroughly examine the entire situation, to avoid hasty decision-making.
Baptiste said, “No one course of action can undo the damage that has been done by this unfortunate incident. It is my belief that every alternative should be studied before deciding on an ultimate resolution.”
Baptiste said the situation is unfortunate for all involved.
“This is an unfortunate situation for the Kaua‘i Police Department, the Commission and the people of Kaua‘i,” Baptiste said. “At this point our focus needs to remain on what is best for our police department and the community.”
Lester Chang, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and lchang@pulitzer.net
