LIHU‘E — Local reaction was mostly favorable a day after Kaua‘i Police Chief Darryl Perry’s decision not to seek the Honolulu Police Department top job was made public. “I’m glad he’s decided to stay here on Kaua‘i, because one of
LIHU‘E — Local reaction was mostly favorable a day after Kaua‘i Police Chief Darryl Perry’s decision not to seek the Honolulu Police Department top job was made public.
“I’m glad he’s decided to stay here on Kaua‘i, because one of the things we really need in the department is continuity,” said Jay Furfaro, Kaua‘i County Council vice chair, in a phone interview Tuesday morning.
“The Kaua‘i Police Department has benefited from his leadership and I’m pleased to hear that he’ll be continuing the work in progress,” said Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. via his executive assistant, Beth Tokioka.
“Continuity is so important when building an effective team. I look forward to supporting his efforts to support the men and women of the Kaua‘i Police Department,” said Carvalho, who was on O‘ahu Tuesday.
“We’re glad that the chief has decided that he wants to stay on Kaua‘i,” said Russell Grady, chair of the Kaua‘i County Police Commission.
“We feel he’s done a real good job as our chief,” said Grady, who like Perry desires KPD accreditation through the national Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
KPD is the only department in the state not accredited.
“That’s a big issue with me personally,” Grady said of accreditation. “The continuation of him (Perry) being chief will help, not hinder, the accreditation process.
Grady said of Perry’s decision to stay here is “a good thing for Kaua‘i.”
When he first learned Perry had applied to be the HPD chief, Grady said he had mixed emotions. He was happy Perry wanted the larger challenge, but saddened by the fact that Perry would consider leaving in the middle of his contract.
“We spent a lot of money and time to hire him. I’m glad he’s decided to stay. He’s done good things for the department since he’s been here … but there is more work to be done,” Grady said.
“He’s demonstrated collaboration, and is building trust within the department,” Furfaro said.
Roy Asher, KPD assistant chief in the Investigative Services Bureau, has seen a few chiefs come and go during his years on the force.
“Change in leadership has always brought a level of disruption, particularly during the transition from one administration to the next,” he said in an e-mail Tuesday afternoon.
“I am pleased that we will maintain continuity in our operations. It is also comforting to me to know that we will stay the course of our Mission Statement and continue to follow Chief Perry’s vision for the department as he charted,” said Asher.
“I’m glad that he’s chosen to stay,” said Derek Kawakami, chair of the County Council Public Safety/Energy/Inter-governmental Relations Committee.
“That’s good news. I want to thank his wife for talking some sense into him, and thank him for having the wisdom to listen to his wife, the real chief,” he said Tuesday.
“I don’t know what he was thinking considering going back to the big city when he should be spending his golden years here,” said Kawakami.
Andy Parx, a community activist from Kalaheo, called for Perry’s immediate resignation as soon as Parx learned Perry had applied for the HPD chief’s position.
Parx in a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon said Perry went through a lot to get the KPD chief job, Kaua‘i went through a lot to get him that job, and for Perry not to complete his three-year contract would have been “a slap in the face to the people of Kaua‘i.”
It’s a good thing the Police Commission doesn’t have to start the chief-selection process all over again, Parx said. “At least we’ll avoid that.”
As far as Perry’s performance thus far, Parx said “I’m very disappointed” that the community-policing program installed by former Chief George Freitas and continued by Chief K.C. Lum doesn’t seem to be as high of a priority for Perry.
