Puna Watch Forum? Rob?

[rainyjim]

Honestly eric? Police credibility wasn't already at zero for you?

: )

[opihikao]

ericlp: I respect your opinion, however, until you walk in a police officer's shoes (and his family's), the pay is not the issue for some of us.

The dedication to public service, and in today's world, dealing with freaking morons on ice (or other drugs), domestic disputes up the kazoo (the most dangerous in our time), and basically the scum of the earth (most of the time), does not deserve callous disdain.

Not to mention, traffic fatalities and accidents, deaths by suicide (including children/teens), etc. Being a first responder to these kinds of calls is no cake walk. The eleven (11) year old my husband had to pry out of a vehicle, dead, never left his mind. The eighteen (18) year old who hung himself was cut down by my husband, who then had to tell this child's mother he was dead. That's just two cases, Sir.

JMO.

[oink]

You're wasting your time. I was going to respond but thought better.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[opihikao]

quote:

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Originally posted by oink

You're wasting your time. I was going to respond but thought better.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

---

I hear you, oink. However, my emotion got the better of me. I ignored it initially. You know how us wahine are, right? Can't keep our mouths shut (rolling my eyes, as I should have just STHU.) lol.

Now, my nephew, an officer, is dealing with this mess and the driver was a dear friend of his, and well loved in the community (rest in peace, the driver allegedly saved others by giving his own life in the process):

http://westhawaiitoday.com/sections/comm...ident.html

A man was killed Friday afternoon when his fuel tanker apparently went off of Kawaihae Road, near Waiemi Place, and overturned. Kawaihae Road remains closed Friday night.

The man was operating the tanker and traveling westbound on the road when he apparently left the roadway and overturned, according to the Hawaii County Police Department. The tanker, carrying about 8,400 gallons of diesel fuel, spilled nearly half its load during the accident. The driver was pinned inside the vehicle and died at the scene. His name is being withheld pending positive identification and notification of his family.

ETA: Mr. Dragon, Sir. (Again, wahine has to respond! []) Yes, it is a chosen profession, for a chosen few. No matter where you live, public services are a cost and expense. The money is minimal compared to the cost. Just my opinion having lived the life for many years. My children still suffer to this day for the trauma inflicted on our family due to my husband being an officer. You are correct in that it is an honor. Respectfully stated to you, Sir (Or Ma'am. I presumed you are male).

JMO. JMO. JMHO.

[peteadams]

"One would hope that those that want to do such a job would be rewarded enough from the honor of the position rather than from an outrageous starting salary...I will shake their hands gratefully. Just as soon as they get their grubby mitts out of my wallet."

Bitter, angry complaints about what is literally an average American salary (~$50k), for what can be an incredibly stressful job in public service at HPD, seems astonishingly misplaced when there are far greater efforts to pick your pocket in the private sector. According to your theory, I suppose that the Wall Street fund managers who control our 401k's (and most of our financial system), who skim millionaire's salaries for themselves (and occasionally crash the economy), who can and do charge whatever they want, therefore have no honor. At least you are associating the concept of honor with the public sector. No such luck in the private sector.

[Wao nahele wahine]

For opihikao and for oink:

As a daughter and granddaughter of men who proudly served as police officers, I understand and appreciate what you're saying. Bless you both.

Wahine

[steve1]

So if this hypothetical "Puna Watch Forum" was started, what would keep it on task, or rather what would keep the topics from drifting?

And on a related note: Does anyone know how the HPP Neighborhood watch/ Hawaii Police, Animal control project went a few weeks ago?

And on an unrelated note: In most states traffic flagging is a $12-$15 an hour job, so why do the Hawaii police get to monopolize semi-skilled work? And why are we paying more for them to do it?

[ericlp]

quote:

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Originally posted by opihikao

ericlp: I respect your opinion, however, until you walk in a police officer's shoes (and his family's), the pay is not the issue for some of us.

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I respect your opinion also. I don't have an issue with pay or perks but when people down play it like it's not enough or it's no big deal... Well, it is. They shouldn't take what they are getting for granted. I often side with cops because I know how bad the public can be ...

Cheers!

Cheers!

[eigoya]

Very good point Pete Adams. So many are willing to pull down those who are just breaking middle class because it's easier than addressing the real issue of corporate takeover of our economy. As Walmart, target, fast food, none offering living wages, become some kind of "norm" the desperate will begrudge those who have skills or profession which few want to assume. De-professionalization of teaching, privatization, loss of manufacturing ( see Boeing this week), underemployment and contracting ( read no benefits nor good wages); everything which used to actually work in the US now has us grabbing at electrified pennies like some Ellison novel.

[Frank]

pete adams does indeed make a good point, but, speaking for myself here, if one chooses a profession which, up front, leans to the idea that "hey my life could be in danger with this job" and one takes the job any way, it seems to me to be an empty argument to ask for or demand increase in pay "because hey, i'm putting my life on the line" and to add, all the accidents, freaked out situations that an officer of the law encounters"...well all that is known going in. CHOICE is a key word here...as for "De-professionalization of teaching"...lets talk about administrative costs and exactly how these costs translate to "education of our children"...don't get me wrong, teachers are our MOST IMPORTANT asset in this country and their pay should, there is that word again,be paid a hell of a lot more and admin should be CUT!. young folks who can not think because they were administrated to instead of taught is a big gd problem in this country.