After more than two hours in executive session Tuesday, the Kaua’i County Police Commission emerged and upheld two of three allegations of wrongdoing remaining against police chief George Freitas. The commission voted unanimously to place a written reprimand in Freitas’
After more than two hours in executive session Tuesday, the Kaua’i County Police Commission emerged and upheld two of three allegations of wrongdoing remaining against police chief George Freitas.
The commission voted unanimously to place a written reprimand in Freitas’ personnel file on the allegation that he drove a civilian — his girlfriend — in an official police vehicle.
The commission voted 4 to 1, with Mike Ching casting the lone dissenting vote, to place a written reprimand in Freitas’ file for his treatment of a subordinate. Freitas allegedly raised his voice and was rude to two high-ranking officers filed the allegations against him — Lt. Al Seto and recently retired chief inspector Mel Morris.
“I will vote not to sustain this complaint. I believe that at least some of it is management style. I am not convinced by the evidence,” Ching said.
The commission voted 3 to 2 not to proceed on the allegation that Freitas interfered in an internal Police Department investigation of police officer Nelson Gabriel.
In a second, afternoon session, the commission postponed Freitas’ annual performance review until April 30.
After the meeting, Freitas criticized the investigation against him, which began last August and resulted in him being suspended with pay from Aug. 13 until the first week of this year.
“I didn’t need this circus. My police department didn’t need this. Where did anybody give a damn about the police department in this whole thing? Who drove this thing? Why wasn’t I called in? This whole thing could have been settled” long ago, Freitas said.
County attorney Hartwell Blake, the lead legal advisor for the county throughout the investigation by an investigator from the Honolulu Police Commission, defended the five-month time period from the filing of the allegations until Tuesday’s proceedings.
“Fairness on both sides was the task of my office. The system is working. We have to do what we have to do. My office’s position is that we will be fair to every party,” Blake said.
Freitas told the commissioners that he will file a grievance.
Freitas, who contends he did nothing wrong, has said that he wants the full accusations against him made public.
But Blake reiterated the county’s position that the privacy of the witnesses in the investigation must be protected.
“This office (county attorney) will always err on the side of caution. Unless a judge says everything should be made public,” Blake said.
Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and mailto:dwilken@pulitzer.net
