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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, March 9, 2002

EDITORIALS
Discipline dispute is result of awkward law

A state law designed to protect the privacy and reputation of local police officers has created an awkward situation for the Honolulu Police Department.

The law, which was passed under strong lobbying support from police and their union, requires that most information concerning the discipline of individual officers must be kept confidential.

That is a protection not enjoyed by most public employees.

But now, in somewhat of a strange twist, the law is creating a cloud for the Honolulu Police Department that should not be necessary.

Former police union official Alex Garcia has claimed he is being unfairly disciplined because he has been openly critical of the current Honolulu Police Department command. Police Chief Lee Donohue says it's nothing of the sort; that Garcia is being disciplined for completely unrelated incidents.

There is no retaliation, Donohue says.

Unhappily for the department, it is tough to get to the bottom of this because of that law. Donohue is prohibited under union rules from discussing the Garcia discipline situation. We are left with a "he-said, he-said" dispute.

So a cloud has been left that cannot easily be dispelled. Eventually, our police departments will conclude that their credibility and reputation will be best served by a policy that focuses on the greatest possible openness and transparency.