Kailua park patrol may grow

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer

KAILUA — Success has created new problems for the citizens patrol that set out to eliminate rowdy behavior at the Kailua Beach Park boat ramp.

From its beginning nearly three months ago, the Kailua Citizens on Patrol was able to discourage people from parking at the ramp to party.

Soon, though, the party moved to other parking lots at the park. The patrol responded by expanding to the entire park.

Now, with some loud noise and parties returning to the park after 2 a.m. when the volunteers go off duty, the patrol faces a new challenge.

"When we're down there, there's no problems," said patrol member Lynn Ranta, who lives across the street from the boat ramp. "After we're done, they come."

The patrol is helpful, said officer Dylan Baker of the Kailua station.

"We always encourage the community to get involved," he said.

Without its expansion to the entire park, the patrol might not have stopped an arson attempt in the restroom across the street from Buzz's Original Steak House around 1 a.m. Saturday, said Bryan Amona, head of the patrol.

The patrol caught a group of teenage boys, said Amona. "They had the toilet paper out. They had lighter fluid and the trash can out."

The patrol normally operates Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. People can still go to the beach; they just can't park there. The group also will patrol on Sunday evenings before a holiday.

The group sweeps the entire park every 45 minutes, from behind Kalapawai Market to the boat ramp. Seven to 12 people patrol each night, with an off-duty police officer occasionally joining them, said Ranta.

Between 30 and 40 cars enter the park during the typical four-hour patrol period, she said, and about 10 park.

The patrol records their license number, just in case there's trouble, then asks the parkers to leave. Calls to 911 occur about once a night for such things as suspected drunken driving or when park users become confrontational, Ranta said.

New signs that prohibit parking from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. at all three parking lots at the beach park give the patrol additional clout, Amona said, and police have been issuing parking citations.

To tackle the latest problem, Ranta said the patrol hopes to increase its membership and expand its hours of operation.

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.