Law enforcement on the east side?

[TonyB]

Aloha,
How competent is the law enforcement in Hilo and Puna? Just wondering if the papaya vandalism and other crimes get solved ....
What is the general view of their professionalism?

[Bob Orts]

The Hawaii County Police, based on national standards and rankings, has a very good record in law enforcement. They rank in the top percentile for solving crimes and have a decent crime prevention program.

With that said, I believe their negative reputation in the Puna area is primarily due to a lack of interest in what happens in the District. It is well known in government circles that the Puna District is not a political force to worry about, thus there really is no need to be concern with service delivery. Second is that the overwhelming belief outside the east side of the Big Island is that the Puna District is the "other side of the tracks" and the people are anti-government/establishment who actually don't want government involvement in their lives. The third equally important factor is that overall, there is a strong belief that the "ghetto" (for lack of a better descriptor) mentality of the area is something the people actually wants and is what attracts people to the area.

There is a strong fear that anything government does to improve the area would actually be taken as a negative by the people. This forces the police to de-prioritize anything but serious crime and token enforcement of petty crimes. If you get a chance to really speak to Hawaii County Police officers, they will tell you that they are not welcome by the people in the area. It’s not that they don’t care or want to help; they say the people don’t want them there and would rather not have police presence.

The attitude of the people has rubbed off on the attitude of the officers. I’m sure if you followed post on Punaweb you will see that whenever police action is occurring, the first reaction of people is to think of all the negatives of that action. A police search for missing person becomes some police action on medical marijuana. A search for a criminal is spying on people by the police. Speed enforcement based on complaints is first reported as a shakedown and money grab by the police.

Do you really expect the Police to give a hoot about a District that doesn’t want them?

[Greg]

Most of the officers I've met here are motivated and competent. There are simply not enough of them, largely due to the attitudes mentioned by Bob.

Aside from understaffed patrols, I believe that most of our enforcement problems are rooted in the Prosecutors office. They need to become more motivated themselves, and work more closely with the Police department.

[mdd7000]

Bob Orts - nice post.
I had a very good talk and overall experience yesterday with an officer about an attempted break-in next door to me. He was very dedicated, listened intently to me and saw him numerous times during the next several hours, driving by the houses repeatedly all throughout his shift. Definitely a credit to the force.

[robguz]

My partner's car was broken into and things were stolen. We were pleasantly surprised how throrough the officer was who we reported it to. He even tried to get fingerprints which really surpised us. Years ago in Oakland when there was a shooting and the suspects tried to get in our house and had their hands all over our doorknob, the cops didn't even bother to see if they could get usable prints. Of course, in the car break in, nobody was ever caught or the stolen stuff recovered, but that kind of would have taken a miracle without prints. I've been happy with other interactions I've had with police when they were called to my neighborhood about a crazy neighbor.

[james weatherford]

Bob,

On what do you base your opinion?
Do you live in Puna?



James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park

[Bob Orts]

I base it on my own personal observations and on conversations with a broad range of people.

My interest in Puna is 100% pure economic. If I can obtain prime agricultural land with historic cultural significance, that has a orphanage that is behind on taxes right next to a sensitive ecological protected area, I am now paid to evict the orphanage, strip the land and clear it of all things, and do what it takes to get approval to build a hazardous waste facility.

If that is what I'm being assigned to do, I will do it. However, that in no way lessens or changes my personal opinions on Puna since I can separate my personal and professional life and opinions. And to some degree, it gives me a perspective that isn't clouded by a personal attachment to the area by residency.

As for where I live, does that change facts and reality? Does that disqualify a person’s opinion? Does that make a persons observations less valid? Sometimes the outsider can see things much more clearly than the insider.

But if it makes you feel better, I do pay taxes to Hawaii County and it's based on properties I own in the Puna District.

[james weatherford]

So, you do not reside here.
That is a fact.

James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park

[james weatherford]

This is very misleading:
"forces the police to de-prioritize anything but serious crime and token enforcement of petty crimes."

The priority of the police command and prosecutor is cannabis and that is not serious crime.


James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park

[mailesomaha]

Wow.

Solvable crimes are solved; where ever you are and whoever you are.

That marijuana is "the" priority is funny but the vision of having an economic interest in our "ghetto" almost made me pee my pants (laughing).

What I don't find funny is the perpetuation of 'naming' the class or status of an entire people, be they Kona people naming Hilo people, or Mexican people naming Guatamalans, in order to perpetuate their status in order to justify their disqualification from basic services which further degrades their status, further degrading services...and so on. But profiting from that is, I don't know, what is that called?! I try to be congenial and I realize that these are all judgement statements but I can't apologize for that. Um, lol.

This isn't a district that doesn't want a police presence; that's not a mistake, it's just a lie.