State investigating prison after escapes
By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer
Waiawa Correctional Facility has for years struggled to adequately staff some work shifts, but the minimum-security prison had enough guards last Saturday and Tuesday nights when three inmates escaped, the warden said this week.
Some work shifts at the facility have dipped to minimum staffing levels within the last three or four years, and that has curtailed weekend visitations, but it has not jeopardized safety at the facility or contributed to escapes, said Waiawa warden J. Phillip Tumminello.
Before last Saturday's escape, one inmate escaped from the Waiawa facility this year, and has been arrested, Tumminello said. From 1999 to 2001, one inmate escaped, but he was arrested by police, Tumminello added.
"It certainly concerns me anytime an inmate leaves our custody," Tumminello said. "I don't think we have a trend going on here. Often times, inmates see it happen and they give it a try. A lot of the inmates are very impulsive."
The Central O'ahu facility, which has a capacity of 334 inmates, had 12 guards last Saturday and 11 guards Tuesday working from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. when the escapes occurred, Tumminello said. The minimum of guards needed at Waiawa is nine, Tumminello said.
Tumminello said he strongly feels that the Waiawa staff did nothing wrong during the escapes, and said it's difficult to stop a determined inmate from escaping.
"I do not believe that the escapes occurred because any of the staff were negligent," Tumminello said. "Our preliminary investigation showed that the staff was doing their jobs."
Ted Sakai, the director for the state Department of Public Safety, said a full investigation has been ordered on the details of the escapes. "It's very unusual even for a minimum security place like Waiawa that this would happen," Sakai said. "Obviously something happened. We're trying to find out what it is. Sometimes we won't know until we apprehend the escapee."
Recently, the facility has been staffed at minimum or near minimum levels during the weekends and during the work shift from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. to cope with "authorized absences" for vacations, sickness, funerals and military leave, Tumminello said. "We're concerned with the sick leave,"he said. "Quite frankly we think there's too much; people take too many sick days. But according to their contract they have a right to do that."
Numerous authorized absences by prison guards have forced Waiawa to cancel four out of the last six weekend visitations despite having 80 of the 83 authorized adult corrections officer positions at Waiawa filled, Tumminello said.
Sakai said he's not heard of any problems relating to staffing at Waiawa. He said it's the warden's responsibility to reschedule missed activities and to ensure that they are adequately staffed.
"Sometimes it does cost us overtime, but it becomes necessary," Sakai said.
Waiawa is designated as a minimum-security facility with intermittent supervision by guards. The inmates, who are classified as nonviolent and low-flight risks, live in dormitories and are able to participate in recreation, education and religious activities inside the facility.
Police said Kristopher Kealoha, 26, left the facility at 94-560 Kamehameha Highway last Saturday at about 6:15 p.m. after being ordered to report to the watch commander's office. Milton Kapule, 25, and Jack Masaniai, 22, were last seen at the facility on Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. All three men had convictions which included violent crimes.
