The Drug Action Team is composed of several groups, one of which is Enforcement. Co-chaired by KPD Lt. Eric Shibuya and Drug Court Administrator Alton Amimoto, the following article reflects the members of the committee and a short informational briefing
The Drug Action Team is composed of several groups, one of which is Enforcement. Co-chaired by KPD Lt. Eric Shibuya and Drug Court Administrator Alton Amimoto, the following article reflects the members of the committee and a short informational briefing on what their agencies do.
The Kaua‘i Police Department’s Narcotics/Vice Unit is comprised of one lieutenant, two sergeants and 12 investigators. Currently, the unit is operating short-staffed with one lieutenant, one sergeant, four investigators and one canine officer/investigator.
The unit focuses on all drug cases from the street dealers to drug trafficking organizations within the county and throughout Hawai‘i. Past investigations have led to cases on the Mainland and foreign countries.
The unit also seizes assets such as houses, property, cars and boats that are bought with drug monies. These items are then submitted for forfeiture, with the monies resulting from auction sales going back to the department for further investigations.
The community should know that drug cases are not overnight investigations. It is very time consuming and covert. Investigations could lead to weeks, months and even years worth of intense work, compiling evidence and proof, before a person is arrested and brought to prosecution.
Should you suspect drug dealing in your neighborhood, feel free to contact Shibuya at 241-1701 or police dispatch at 241-1711.
The county Department of Liquor Control is a partner in the countywide effort to curb drug abuse. Alcohol is widely acknowledged as the most accessible drug and first drug of choice of teens.
Through enforcement of liquor laws relating to minors and educational programs the department is partners with the department of education, other law enforcement agencies and community groups to educate minors on the dangers of underage drinking. (Contact: 241-4966.)
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement is responsible for enforcement activities of the DLNR. The division, with full police powers, enforces all state laws and rules involving state lands, parks, historical sites, forest reserves, aquatic life and wildlife areas, coastal zones, conservation districts, shores, as well as county ordinances involving county parks.
The division also enforces laws relating to firearms, ammunition and dangerous weapons. (Contact: 274-3521.) For after-hours reporting of any DLNR-related enforcement concern, call 808-643-DLNR (3567).
The US Attorney’s Office Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee was established on July 21, 1981 in all 94 U.S. Attorney’s Offices by order of the U.S. Attorney General. LECC provides a networking focus for law enforcement executives committed to the ideal of cooperation and coordination at all levels of local, state and federal law enforcement.
Facilitation of communications is supported through committees and joint operations. The informal contacts made on these occasions substantially contribute to subsequent problem solving. Police chiefs and sheriffs are brought together with state and federal enforcers, regulators and prosecutors. This approach to problem solving has resulted in a number of task force operations directed at myriad violations of federal statutes ranging from narcotics to white collar crime.
In addition, the LECC sponsors, or co-sponsors, no- or low-cost training seminars addressing various subjects pertinent to law enforcement officials. These seminars are made available to all federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Topics include asset forfeiture and equitable sharing, gang activities, clandestine laboratories, Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force investigations and prosecutions, and other contemporary issues.
On Dec. 1, the face of drug prosecution on Kaua‘i changed. Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho and First Deputy Lori Wada, backed by a team of skilled deputies, were sworn in and took charge of the county Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.
Guided by the principle of “pono kaulike,” or equal rights and justice for all, they took their oaths of office during a difficult and tumultuous time for our community. Drug-related criminal activity often increases during times of economic trouble and high unemployment. Nonetheless, the new team is determined to work collaboratively with the Kaua‘i Police Department and our community to root out, prosecute and convict the drug dealers who hurt our neighborhoods.
We will absolutely devote efforts at the grass roots level to get to the source of the drug problem and make systemic changes, so that dealers know that tough penalties will be imposed if they attempt to infiltrate our neighborhoods.
We advocate for justice for the victims and seek to ensure that all of our children grow up in a safe and drug-free environment.
We are also committed to working with programs like the Kaua‘i Drug Court so that low-level and non-violent first-time offenders who have proven their desire and willingness to work hard to change their lives and free themselves from the burdens of a destructive addiction have an avenue for doing so. Our tools are integrity, truth in charging and fairness in prosecution.
We are looking towards an era of innovation and community-based prosecution. Our goal is a safe Kaua‘i, an island free of ice and other dangerous drugs. Through collaboration and commitment, we can achieve these goals. (Contact: 241-1888.)
The Kaua’i Drug Court was started in 2004. The idea was to start a diversion program for felony-level substance abuse offenders. If people were arrested for drugs or related offenses, they were able to enter the drug court program as an alternative to prosecution, and have their charges dismissed upon successful completion.
The program has evolved to the point that we now take persons that are about to have their probation supervision revoked, and we have people sentenced directly to drug court. We also have a juvenile program, and help with case management with other court related cases. Unique to the Kaua’i Drug Court is the intense supervision, where every client has a curfew, and is drug tested regularly and randomly, even on nights and weekends and holidays.
We utilize Global Positioning Systems technology and can track our clients online. With the assistance of the police, public defender and prosecutor, we can sanction clients that violate rules immediately, some with community service work, some with short-term jail.
We help them become employed and help them go to school if they desire. We empower our clients to succeed where they might have failed in the past. They participate in community service work, assisting in cleaning and painting our adopted Hanama‘ulu Beach Park four times a year. Currently we are working with the Adopt-a-Park program to do anti-graffiti maintenance at several county parks.
To date, we have had 71 adult graduates, and five juvenile graduates. Only one adult graduate has been re-convicted for a felony drug offense. (Contact: 482-2365.)
These are the members of the Law Enforcement Committee. Some of the goals of the committee are to foster improved communication and greater cooperation between agencies. Other goals are to improve public education as to the specific duties of each agency. With the large amounts of information available, we need to encourage people to become more aware of these great public agencies and resources to combat underage drinking, drug use and unlawful behavior.
For more information, call Alton Amimoto at 482-2365.
