Police chief’s wife testifies to council

Solette Perry, the wife of Kaua‘i Police Chief Darryl Perry, testified before the Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday night on the authority of the mayor to suspend the police chief and then place her husband on leave.

Perry, a regional human resources director, was allowed six minutes to testify on agenda item ES-528 before the council adjourned to a closed executive session. She was interrupted several times by County Attorney Al Castillo as he offered Council Chair Jay Furfaro “cautions” on accepting some parts of Perry’s testimony.

Perry said she was concerned about Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s authority regarding decisons about the chief.

Her testimony, requested by phone from O‘ahu where she was during the day, came during the general meeting immediately following a dinner break by the council.

The purpose of ES-528 was to allow the council to consult with the county attorney on questions pertaining to the authority of the mayor and Kaua‘i County Police Commission to hire, evaluate, dismiss and discipline the police chief.

The briefing and consultation involved consideration of the powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and/or liabilities of the council and the county as they related to the agenda item.

Perry is regional human resources director for the Hawai‘i Health Systems Corp. Kaua‘i Region, which includes Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital, Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital and West Kaua‘i Medical Center. The mayor placed Police Chief Darryl Perry on suspension and then paid leave pending investigation of an internal police department complaint. Two assistant chiefs, Roy Asher and Ale Quibilan, were also placed on leave.

The police commission maintains it has authority over the chief and ordered him back to work on Feb. 20.

The police chief returned to work, but was unable to retrieve equipment. The mayor’s office refers to him as still on leave.