Posted on: Sunday, August 4, 2002

EDITORIAL
Homeland security can't be secret police

Defying a threatened veto, Hawai'i Sen. Dan Akaka is among those lawmakers holding out for union and whistleblower protections for the proposed Department of Homeland Security.

We tilt toward Akaka's position, although our reasons may differ somewhat from his.

We're mindful that our founding fathers bent over backwards to prevent the formation of any sort of secret national police force. We see no reason to start one now, and we see Bush's predilection for "management flexibility" at the new department as the narrow edge of a dangerous wedge.

By way of illustration, we offer the example of our very own Honolulu Police Department. Most of what we know about occasional misconduct in the department might never have come to light if the HPD were allowed to operate without union and whistle-blower protections.

It's troubling the administration seems to think organized labor is superfluous if not subversive. But even more important to national well-being is the extent of public transparency and accountability of the new department.