Drug Dealers on Pahoa Main Street

[terracore]

Until the product is sold and taxed responsibly and legally organized crime will continue to reap the benefits of its prohibition. This problem has no solution under the current laws. That is why the police do not respond.

[islandlvng]

Prohibition is an excuse for pot and alcohol not pills, ice and crack, the real problem in Pahoa. Not reefer.

FHB employees are helpless. I have banked with them for over 15 years now and am completely disgusted that no one steps in to help this branch out. My wife WILL NOT GO to this branch at all and for good reason. Having to step over homeless guys passed out on the steps just to use the atm? C'mon. Smoking ice and passing money in front of me at 1 pm as I am getting out of my car to cash my paycheck. This happens all day everyday.

Marijuana is always and always will be a part of life here in Hawaii and people need to just get over it. The Oxycodone and ice and crack sellers that you see at 10 am standing in front of FHB yelling their product and prices as cars drive by are the problem. The continued argument that the police don't have the time to effectively patrol the one street in Pahoa town is a joke. A bad one at that.

The police have no problem routinely driving through malama parking lot in circles busting people for no seat belts before they even hit the road. Have seen this going on for a better part of a year now. The employees at FHB will tell you there is nothing they can do. FHB will not step in, the county has been told about this problem for a better part of a decade and nothing. The police are aware of whats going on and turn a blind eye period.

Even all the newbies that come and go through the Pahoa police station turn a blind eye to that area. There is a reason for that...........

[shave_ice]

This is so ridiculous and sad. I don't have any ideas of what could be done to make this stop, but there has to be something. Does FHB have a security guard? I'm pretty sure that Bank of Hawaii does and the dealers are not there. The community center also has a security guard and things seem to be fine for the most part in that area. I've personally seen one of the security guards escort a particular deranged individual away on day. Though I'm sure he does it often.
There used to be quite a few derelicts that would pass out in front of the senior center and the ambulance would come take them away if they could not walk away on their own. That seems to have stopped since a fence was put up around the senior center.
If the bank does have a security guard, I'm not sure what he is getting paid for.

[nana valley]

They need a full-time bicycle cop in Pahoa.


He who hoots with owls at night cannot soar with the eagles in the morning.

[riverwolf]

Speaking of police manpower or lack of it.... I was in Pahoa town today and saw a policeman standing on the boardwalk in front of the "cash and loan" store watching traffic go by. I knew exactly what was next.... sure enough just across from the banks there were 5 policeman pulling cars over.
I was pulled over last month near the same area and they wanted to be sure 1. I had a seatbelt on 2. I had a license and registration. 3. proof of insurance. 4. "if I was on my way to work"?....
Seems like a lot of manpower which could be usd elsewhere....imho.
..had to spend an extra 10 minutes at the warm pools to get my zen back
enjoy.

riverwolf

[kalakoa]

Follow the money: there's Federal dollars (that used to be yours) for checkpoints and helicopters, but your local "downtown blight" problem is not their concern.

[jlgerk]

quote:

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Originally posted by riverwolf

Speaking of police manpower or lack of it.... I was in Pahoa town today and saw a policeman standing on the boardwalk in front of the "cash and loan" store watching traffic go by. I knew exactly what was next.... sure enough just across from the banks there were 5 policeman pulling cars over.
I was pulled over last month near the same area and they wanted to be sure 1. I had a seatbelt on 2. I had a license and registration. 3. proof of insurance. 4. "if I was on my way to work"?....
Seems like a lot of manpower which could be usd elsewhere....imho.
..had to spend an extra 10 minutes at the warm pools to get my zen back
enjoy.

riverwolf

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This brings IN money.
Busting dopers COSTS money.

[kalakoa]

Exactly -- and the fines are pure gravy, since the checkpoint is funded with "free" Federal dollars.

[Cagary]

First Hawaiian Bank needs to put some speakers out by the front door and then crank up some Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, etc.

Drives the riffraff crazy and they soon will find another place to hang out.

Its worked in places on the mainland and there's no reason it wouldn't work in Pahoa. Classical music is like Kryptonite to lowlives like the ones who hang around the bank.

-Veritas odium parit”(Terence 195–159 BC))-"Truth begets hatred".

[oink]

The seatbelt checkpoints are not directly funded by the Feds. However, seatbelt compliance is tied to the Highway money the Feds give to the States. If compliance drops below some set point the Feds withhold money. Generally it's money the States paid to the Feds through taxes. The Feds then use strong arm tactics to get the States to do what the Feds want if the States want their money back. I would prefer a method where the money stays pit where it is generated at in the first place. Let Hawaii decide what to do with it's own money, or what should have been it's own money. But of course big brother knows best.
/rant

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.