LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Police Department this week released the results of internal affairs investigations conducted within the outfit in 2008, including the dismissal of a sergeant for committing sexual assault and the suspension of three other personnel for various
LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Police Department this week released the results of internal affairs investigations conducted within the outfit in 2008, including the dismissal of a sergeant for committing sexual assault and the suspension of three other personnel for various infractions.
The names of the offending officers and details of the investigations would not be released due to terms of KPD’s agreement with the State of Hawai‘i Organization of Police Officers and other rules, Chief Darryl Perry said at last week’s Police Commission meeting.
In 2008, there were a total of 47 employee misconduct investigations conducted. Many of those were holdovers from complaints originating in 2006 and 2007, Perry said in an e-mail.
Of those 47, 20 are pending completion and 16 others are awaiting hearings by the Administrative Review Board, comprised of senior staff personnel specifically trained in leadership, police supervision and discipline, labor management practices, departmental standards of conduct, policies and procedures and employee due process protocol, Perry said in the announcement.
Of those investigations that resulted in disciplinary action, the most serious infraction was by a sergeant who was dismissed for “commission of a criminal act,” specified as sexual assault.
A lieutenant was suspended for 20 days for unauthorized off-duty employment, falsification of records, failure to adhere to departmental policies and being untruthful during the investigation. An officer earned a five-day suspension for conduct that is “contrary to departmental standards and not practiced under the color of police authority.”
A civilian was suspended for 30 days for failure to “provide assistance to an ailing citizen in a timely manner that placed the person’s well-being at risk.”
Furthermore, five written reprimands were issued for minor infractions committed by employees who were found to be in violation of department standards of conduct, and policies and procedures, the announcement said.
“This administration believes that allegations of employee misconduct (are) a very serious matter. Therefore, in 2008 an Internal Affairs Unit was created to strictly focus on administrative investigations,” Perry said. “The purpose of these investigations is to uncover the truth, apply appropriate sanctions when necessary, or exonerate an employee who is innocent of the charges.
“The bottom-line is that the integrity and mission of the Kaua‘i Police Department must be preserved in order to gain the trust and confidence of our community,” he said.
