Click here to view the Governor's letter.
The Hawaii Women's Legislative Caucus today announced that they received a call from the Honolulu Police Department's (HPD) Chief of Police's office canceling Thursday's meeting with the Women's State Legislative Caucus and three women members of the Honolulu City Council.
A representative of the Women's Caucus spoke with the office of Chief of Police Louis M. Kealoha to ask that the commitment to meet with the women on Thursday be honored.
"The purpose of Thursday's meeting was for the Women's Legislative Caucus and the three women city councilmembers to have the opportunity to speak with Chief Kealoha directly," said Senate President Donna Mercado Kim, a member of the Women's Caucus. "We hoped to work cooperatively with the police to strengthen efforts to end domestic violence and keep victims safe. We wanted to discuss concerns and questions about HPD's internal policies and procedures regarding domestic violence cases, especially when one of their own officers is a suspect that has been brought to us by victims' service providers."
"The Women's Legislative Caucus and women Honolulu City Councilmembers asked for the opportunity to discuss these issues with Chief Kealoha prior to the public informational briefing so that he could be prepared to respond fully in public, and to, hopefully, open the door to improved partnerships and outcomes in domestic violence cases," said Senate President Kim.
A representative of the Women's Caucus was told the meeting was cancelled because the internal investigation was not yet completed. "We made it clear that the Women's Caucus understands that personnel investigations are confidential and that we have no intention of interfering in that matter," stated Senator Laura Thielen, a member of the Women's Caucus. "We told Chief Kealoha's office that our concern and our meeting is to be focused on the broader HPD policies and response to domestic violence incidents."
The cancellation was completely unexpected. "Many of us rearranged our schedules to suit the Police Chief's requested meeting date and time. We are disappointed at his unexpected cancellation," stated Senate President Kim. "We sincerely hope this is not a sign of the lack of importance the department places on the issue of domestic violence. But it's perplexing to us why he would cancel such an important meeting with so many women leaders."
View the news release
Following the public release of a surveillance video showing a Honolulu Police Department
(HPD) sergeant allegedly brutally beating his girlfriend in a Waipahu restaurant, the Hawaii Women's State Legislative Caucus and the three women members of the Honolulu City Council are calling on HPD to explain its policies and procedures for handling criminal actions involving its own officers and how the failure to act that occurred earlier this week is not repeated.
According to reports, HPD officers responding to the scene did not arrest the sergeant, nor did they file any reports of the incident that night. It was only on the following day, after a citizen provided HPD and the press with the surveillance video, that HPD took action to remove the sergeant of his police powers and begin an internal investigation into the incident, according to a Hawaii News Now report.
The Joint Women's Legislative Caucus and City Council members released the following statement:
"We are calling for a meeting with the Chief of Police, followed by an informational briefing with the Honolulu Police Department and Police Commission. The public has a right to know the department's policies and procedures for response to domestic violence or any other crimes when the offender is a police officer, particularly one who serves in a supervisory role.
"HPD officials must explain to the public why the alleged assailant was not charged and arrested given evidence of probable cause, including multiple witnesses who had to come to the woman's aide and a video surveillance depicting the appalling domestic violence assault.
"It is absolutely unacceptable that HPD officers chose not to enforce our domestic violence laws. The fact that the woman denied the incident is to be expected under the circumstances. Indeed, the responding officers' failure to take action clearly communicated that her safety will not be protected by them. If similar situations have occurred in the past, any victim of violence would deny it out of fear of retaliation.
"This incident sends a dark message to victims of domestic violence and all residents of Oahu, that members of HPD, who are supposed to serve and protect, may turn a blind eye to domestic violence or other criminal acts committed by of one of their officers.
"The integrity of HPD has been mired and trust has been lost. We demand public accountability."
View the news release
Gov. Neil Abercrombie has given a $9.89 million "green light" to Waimea Middle School to move forward with constructing the school-community's dream of a 21st century science-technology classroom building.
These Capitol Improvement Project (CIP) funds were secured during the 2014 Legislature by Sen. Malama Solomon and Rep. Cindy Evans. The $9.89 million completes a $15.89 million funding package that included $1 million in planning-design funds release in 2007, and $5 million secured by Sen. Solomon and Rep. Evans during the 2013 Legislature. Project funds cover the now nearly completed design, environmental assessment and project approval, plus construction, ground and site improvements, additional paved parking, classroom equipment and appurtenances and, as always with public construction projects, works of art.
"We are over the top excited and deeply grateful to Sen. Solomon and Rep. Evans, and to Gov. Abercrombie for keeping our students' 21st century educational needs on their radar and moving forward. We also thank DOE facilities staff and their consultant team for supporting our student's need for state-of-the-art science laboratories and technology teaching facilities," said WMS Principal Matt Horne.
"Some might say it was Waimea's turn; that our community, along with all the residents of South Kohala and North Kona , pays more than 60% of the General Excise Taxes and Transient Accommodation Taxes for the entire island, and little has been re-invested in Waimea's public education facilities in nearly 25 years. But the reality is that securing public funds is extremely competitive and every community throughout the island and state has urgent needs for public construction funds. Also, Oahu has a majority of the votes in the House and Senate, so we know a great deal of thought and effort went into securing these funds by Sen. Solomon and Rep. Evans," said the school's community liaison Patti Cook.
Keeping the project moving forward, Hawai*#8216;i County Planning Director Duane Kanuha recently reviewed and issued Final Plan Approval for the project. This, coupled with the Governor's release of funds, should allow the project to go out for bid this fall.
Waimea Middle School's new STEM building will be located on the south side of campus next to the Mala'ai school garden. The project's landscape design team has worked with the school's garden program staff to integrate the new building with the garden's science-related hands-on, placed based programming.
Project funding includes paving the school's back gravel entry drive to improve student safety and reduce dust issues.
Click here to view the press release.
Sen. Malama Solomon today announced the release of $1,000,000 in capital improvement funds for repairs and updates to Kohala Hospital. She issued the following statement:
"Mahalo to Governor Abercrombie for releasing the funding for much-needed repairs and improvements to Kohala Hospital," said Senator Malama Solomon (District 4, Hilo, Hamakua, Kohala, Waimea, Waikoloa, Kona). "The hospital has served the small community for almost 100 years, and with these funds we can bring Kohala into the future and keep up with changes in healthcare."
Kohala Hospital is a 28-bed Critical Access Hospital (CAH) with 24 hour emergency services. It has serving the North Kohala community since 1917.
Senator Malama Solomon (District 4 - Hilo, Hamakua, Kohala, Waimea, Waikoloa, Kona) released the following statement on the administration's release of nearly $300,000 for wastewater and highway capital improvement projects on Hawaii Island:
• $47,000 for transportation improvements to Queen Kaahumanu Highway at the intersection of Kawaihae Road
• $250,000 for design and construction at Waimea Baseyard Wastewater Systems
"These projects are important to the people of Hawaii Island and I'm glad the governor released the funding for these much-needed improvements.
"Although there has been delays in work at Kawaihae Road and Queen Kaahumanu Highway intersection for a variety of reasons, I'm looking forward to its completion as changes will help with the flow of traffic and address safety concerns shared by the community.
"I'm proud of the work my colleagues and I did to ensure money flowed to projects such as the quarter of a million dollars for upgrades to wastewater systems in Waimea. Making these necessary upgrades will help create a more safe and effective sewer complex through the modernization of aging sewage treatment facilities.
Click here to view the Governor's letter.
Click here to view the Governor's letter and project list.
Senator Malama Solomon, District 4 - Hilo, Hamakua, Kohala, Waimea, Waikoloa, Kona, today released the following statement following the governor's release of $12,663,000 million for various capital improvement projects (CIP) supporting student education in Hawaii.
"I have always supported our public education system and I remain committed to provide for educational opportunities in my district," said Senator Malama Solomon. "This funding will go a long way in improving our schools so that students, teachers, and staff will be equipped with the tools necessary for success.
The funds have been released to the following schools in Senate District 4:
$6,852,000, Kohala High School:
• $6,600,000 for STEM classroom building
• $137,000 for whole school classroom renovations
• $85,000 for drainage improvements at Building D
• $30,000 for drainage improvements at Building C
• $5,000,000 Waimea Middle School for the construction of art
$324,000, Honokaa High and Intermediate:
• $131,000 for a covered walkway and reroof
• $60,000 to replace the water heater at Building V
• $43,000 for miscellaneous maintenance
• $30,000 for the installation of concrete steps at Building L
$188,000, Kohala Middle School
• $128,000 for whole school renovation
• $60,000 for resurfacing the basketball court
$96,000, Honokaa Elementary
$80,000, Paauilo Elementary and Intermediate
$54,000, Waikaloa Elementary and Intermediate