As Kaua‘i’s search for a new chief of police continues, commissioners are waiting for the County Attorney’s Office to interpret a federal ruling before they can solicit candidates for the position. The chief of police position has been open since
As Kaua‘i’s search for a new chief of police continues, commissioners are waiting for the County Attorney’s Office to interpret a federal ruling before they can solicit candidates for the position.
The chief of police position has been open since June 7, when former Chief of Police K.C. Lum retired. Since then, Clayton Arinaga has been the acting police chief.
Deputy County Attorney Rosa Flores said her office needed more time to review whether the Kaua‘i Police Department can hire a police chief from the Mainland, prompting police commissioners to defer the issue until its Dec. 15 meeting.
The commissioners need the county attorney’s advice because of a June 22 ruling, in which federal court Judge David Ezra said Hawaii-residency requirements for government jobs were unconstitutional.
Though Ezra’s ruling invalidated Hawaii pre-employment residency requirements — because of its violation of the right to travel — how the county interprets the law is a pressing issue because the commission plans to select its consultant to hire the new police chief at the next meeting, said commissioner Carol Furtado.
The deadline for bids was yesterday, and several were distributed to commissioners.
Once a consultant is hired, the commissioners will forge ahead with outlining the job description, which will include residency requirements, she said. Furtado added she is hopeful a new chief will be hired by June. “But I’d like it to be sooner than that,” she said.
The County Attorney’s Office is strapped with several lawsuits, which, as of June, totaled 81 pending cases against the county, spokeswoman Mary Daubert has said.
A current, more accurate figure is not available, Daubert said in an e-mail, because the County Attorney’s Office hasn’t “had time to research this.”
Though Furtado understood that it was not Flores’ fault that Ezra’s ruling hadn’t yet been reviewed, she expressed her frustration with the County Attorney’s Office.
“I believe they should have been more diligent,” Furtado said. “…They weren’t in any hurry.”
• Amanda C. Gregg, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or agregg@kauaipubco.com.
