'Ewa joins anti-crime effort
By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Central O'ahu Writer
Buoyed by the success of the federally supported "Weed & Seed" crime-fighting program in other areas on O'ahu, program officials will expand its operation to the 'Ewa district beginning this fall.
Sponsored by the U.S. Justice Department, Weed & Seed is a law enforcement effort among federal, state and city authorities to reclaim dangerous neighborhoods infested with drug use and other criminal activity. The program has already provided positive results in the Kalihi-Palama/Chinatown and Waipahu neighborhoods by lowering crime and increasing residents' feelings of security.
'Ewa community leaders have been pushing for the program to be expanded to the area, which has had one of O'ahu's highest crime rates for years. Of violent crimes reported in O'ahu's eight police districts in 2000, District 8 (Wai'anae Coast-'Ewa) had the most murders (5), negligent homicides (10), rapes (39) and aggravated assaults (188).
"The (drug) problem has gotten worse over the years," 'Ewa Neighborhood Board chairman Jeff Alexander said. "You go to Oneula Beach Park and there's homeless and other people making drug deals day and night."
Officials plan to announce the news at Thursday's 'Ewa Neighborhood Board meeting and at a Friday press conference. The latest portion of the program — which covers 'Ewa Villages, 'Ewa-by-Gentry and 'Ewa Beach — will begin in September or October, said Maile Kanemaru, executive director of the Hawai'i program.
"We have to go after government funding over the next three to four months before the fall start date," said Kanemaru, who said it costs about $175,000 a year to run the program in each designated area.
"The 'Ewa area is going to be much wider than the two previous Weed & Seed sites, but we don't think size will be a problem," Kanemaru said. "Like the other locations, it still comes down to community participation to make it work."
The program, which targets violent crime, drug abuse and gang activity, depends on community efforts and tough legal penalties to "weed out" crime. Crime prevention, intervention, treatment and neighborhood revitalization then "seed" a safer community.
The Kalihi-Palama/Chinatown area, which launched its Weed & Seed program in 1998, saw a 70 percent drop in crime from 1997 to 2000.
The Waipahu portion of the program began in late 2000 and is still in the "weeding" stage of police stings and drug busts to move repeat criminals out of the area. Police officers are also specially assigned to the Weed & Seed neighborhoods to gain rapport with area residents.
In the downtown portion of the program, anyone convicted of drug crimes in the area goes to jail for a minimum of one year and is banned from the neighborhood for six years after release, under the federal Safe Streets Act. But Kanemaru said it does not necessarily mean the 'Ewa program will have the same restrictions.
'Ewa Beach Community Association president Glenn Oamilda supports the program but said he wants it to also tackle the social problems usually related to drug and criminal activity.
"You see the homeless at the beach, and the reason they're there is lack of jobs and housing," said Oamilda, who has made previous attempts to organize resident patrols at area beaches. "The drugs is not just an isolated problem."
But Oamilda admits there are concentrated pockets of criminal activity in the 'Ewa district that need attention.
"One recent example is the murder at 'Ewa Villages," said Oamilda, referring to the shooting death of 18-year-old Robert Rodemio in May 2000.
Kanemaru agrees that only reducing crime will not make the program successful. She wants residents to attend a March 21 community meeting at 7 p.m. at the Campbell High School cafeteria to express concerns and possible solutions.
"The changes are not going to happen overnight," Kanemaru said. "It takes about a year or two to get rid of the criminals, and a couple more years to implement the social and youth programs."
