• Social networking ‘can be your worst nightmare’ • Complaints • Crime numbers • Chief’s report • Funeral LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i Police Officer Ginny Pia was recognized as the Employee of the Month for September, but was unable to attend
• Social networking ‘can be your worst nightmare’
• Complaints • Crime numbers
• Chief’s report •
Funeral
LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i Police Officer Ginny Pia was recognized as the Employee of the Month for September, but was unable to attend the ceremony Friday during the county Police Commission meeting at the Mo‘ikeha Building.
KPD Chief Darryl Perry said Pia, a lead investigator in the Vice and Narcotics unit, would receive the honor at a separate presentation later in the day. Her work with an ongoing investigation made it impossible to attend the commission meeting.
KPD Cpt. Kaleo Perez noted that Pia is an 11-year veteran who has been with the Narcotics and Vice unit for six years.
She was honored for recent investigative work resulting in five warrants, four arrests, and the seizure of 244 grams of crystal methamphetamine — worth an estimated $36,000 in street value. The work also yielded $6,800 in cash and four vehicles from the suspects.
Perez said Pia’s skills and long hours were crucial in following evidence to sources to make more arrests and seizures of drugs and property.
Pia has made the community a safer place, Perez said.
Social networking ‘can be your worst nightmare’
Commission Vice Chair Ernest Kanekoa Jr. reported on his attendance at the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement Conference held in New Orleans earlier this month with police commission members nationwide and from Trinidad and the Philippines.
The conference offered a perspective of the different jurisdictional powers and charters that police commissions have from state to state, he said. Some city police commissions have more control of police operations. He said regionally commissions are being granted more regulatory powers.
Commission Chair Charles lona and Commissioners Thomas Iannucci and Bradley Chiba reported on the Hawai‘i State Law Enforcement Association Conference on the Big Island earlier this month. They said the Federal Bureau of Investigation provided useful training in the evolution of crime fighting tools in the digital age.
Iannucci said the FBI trainers explained how digital technologies were crucial with tracking a child pornography ring from Oklahoma to Honolulu and the Big Island. He said it was a chance to see how investigators must consider what they didn’t have to consider before.
lona said the conference highlighted the good and the bad sides of social networking and emphasized the pitfalls.
KPD Chief Darryl Perry, who also attended, said the FBI demonstrated how emails, Facebook, Myspace and YouTube are becoming tools for police investigations. He cautioned social network users that they are now part of background checks and to consider what is posted on them for employment searches and other concerns.
“It can be your worst nightmare if it is not used correctly,” Perry said.
Perry went on to say that solving the child pornography case is a reminder of the importance of police in protecting the public. He said it motivated police to know their work helped in rescuing abused children and removing them from a tragic life to one of hope and promise.
“The results of the investigation and saving those children made a tremendous impact,” he said.
Complaints
The Commission reported on three complaints that were investigated from last month. They were each found to have insufficient evidence to prove allegations and were forwarded to Perry for further review and investigation if necessary.
Perry concurred with commission findings that three complaints had insufficient evidence to prove the allegations against police officers or civilian employees of the department.
The commission moved to a closed executive session to discuss four notarized complaints. The first two were filed Aug. 17, and allege that KPD officers were overbearing in conduct in the first complaint, and were discourteous and harassing in the second.
The third complaint, filed Aug. 18, alleges that a KPD officer used unnecessary force. The fourth, filed Sept. 2, alleges that a KPD officer used unnecessary force.
Crime numbers
KPD reports 246 bench warrants resulting in intakes and 539 remaining outstanding in August — the most of any month this year. There are 1,420 intakes and 4,105 outstanding active warrants so far for 2011.
The Investigative Services Bureau report from Capt. Sherwin Perez noted four reports of sexual assault in August. Two of them were against minors and in one adult case the victim dropped the complaint.
There were four assault cases including one involving juveniles under age 10. The case is being reviewed by the prosecutor’s office because the victim sustained head injuries requiring brain surgery.
There were three sweeps of park areas in August. The main focus was the Nawiliwili area on Thursday nights due to frequent calls regarding robberies and assaults.
Chief’s report
Perry noted that Sgt. Kenneth Carvalho is the department nominee to the “Top Cop” program which recognizes outstanding public law-enforcement officers and security personnel.
Carvalho supervises KPD Youth Services and is in charge of alcohol and tobacco compliance checks. He is also a member of the KPD SWAT and Marijuana Eradication Teams.
Perry also announced that Garrett Agena, a senior dispatcher with KPD for 19 years, will be retiring.
Funeral
Perry said he and three other officers would be attending the funeral of Police Officer Eric Fontes on Friday in O‘ahu. Fontes was killed Tuesday when a vehicle smashed into his squad car. He said a second officer, Herman Scanlan, was also wounded and is reported to be recovering from injuries.
The next Police Commission meeting is at 9 a.m., Oct. 28, in the Mo‘ikeha Building Meeting Room 2, 4444 Rice St., Lihu‘e.
Contact the commission for information or to file a complaint by calling 241-4920, faxing 241-5127, emailing myoun@kauai.gov or mailing the Office Boards and Commissions, Attn: Mercedes Youn, 4444 Rice Street, Suite 150, Lihu‘e, HI 96766.
Visit www.kauai.gov for more information.
• Tom LaVenture, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or by emailing tlaventure@ thegardenisland.com.
