KALAHEO — “This is something they’ll remember for a long time,” a neighborhood grandfather said as he watched the student of Kalaheo School population troop through the fence at the field behind Kato Gym yesterday morning. The students from kindergarten
KALAHEO — “This is something they’ll remember for a long time,” a neighborhood grandfather said as he watched the student of Kalaheo School population troop through the fence at the field behind Kato Gym yesterday morning.
The students from kindergarten through fifth grades were treated to an interagency demonstration of what is involved in a drug bust, on Thursday, the field being narrowed to marijuana.
Sgt. Ezra Kanoho of the Kaua‘i Police Department explained that because of the use of the Inter-Island Helicopters craft for the demonstration, the neighbors surrounding the school were also notified of the exercise, and many took advantage of the invitation to join the students, who were seated outside the fenced perimeter of the field.
“If this field had marijuana growing in it, the officers would come in hanging at the end of a rope,” Kanoho explained. “But, they need an area where they can get set up.”
For the purposes of the exercise that involved officers with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, KPD, Honolulu Police Department, the Maui Police Department, and the Hawai‘i Police Department, rappel personnel would stage at nearby Kalawai Park before being flown to the Kato Gym field at the end of a tether.
The helicopter would then deposit the rappeler, return to Kalawai Park for a second officer, before settling down to wait for the officers to finish their tasks.
Kanoho pointed out that, in many instances, there is no place for the helicopter to land, so the officers are dropped in to do their retrieval (of marijuana plants), and then are picked up with the load of illegal flora after they are done.
Once the Inter-Island Helicopters craft was brought down on the field, every student was given an opportunity to get up close and chat with not only pilot Jim Hopper, but the rappel-masters Buddy Wilson of DLNR and Channing Tada of KPD, as well as the DLNR officer Steven Palama, and other officers from the drug-enforcement task force, many from other-island police departments.
Also on hand for the demonstration was the shift crew from the Kaua‘i Fire Department’s Kalaheo fire station, who stayed busy photographing the event. The fire captain acknowledged his crew’s appreciation for being asked to be on hand.
Zack Octavio, the Kaua‘i manager of American Medical Response, the ambulance service, was also on hand to witness the event.
Earlier in the week, Kanoho said similar demonstrations had taken place at the King Kaumuali‘i Elementary School, and at Koloa School.
As the students did their tour, many garbed in the St. Patrick’s Day green, one officer noted that they will try to get the demonstrations to more schools, at least once a quarter.
And, as the grandfather watched the students return from the field, he smiled and said, “They’ll remember this day even when they grow up.”
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@pulitzer.net.
