Hawai'i briefs
Advertiser Staff
Police ask citizens to evaluate work
Citizens' comments on the performance of the Honolulu Police Department will be accepted Monday as part of the department's accreditation application.
The session begins at 7 p.m. on the fifth floor of the Standard Finance Building, 715 South King St. It is being conducted by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, which is evaluating the performance of the department.
To receive accreditation, the department must comply with standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services. The accreditation process consists of an application, self-assessment, on-site assessment, commission review, and compliance with the standards to be maintained.
A copy of the standards is available at the main police station at 801 S. Beretania St. from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The public may call in comments from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. tomorrow at 351-3636, or submit written comments to: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, VA 22030-2215.
For information, call HPD's CALEA Committee at 529-3323.
Smoky fire closes Lanai Airport
A small fire in a passenger waiting room forced the shutdown of the Lana'i Airport for about an hour yesterday afternoon.
Passengers were evacuated from the airport about 4:45 p.m. when smoke began to drift through the building.
There were no injuries.
State airport officials said the fire probably was caused by a short circuit in a light fixture or in the air conditioning.
Sitter arrested in death of boy
A 23-year-old woman was arrested yesterday in the death of a 2 1/2-year-old boy Thursday.
The 'Ewa Beach woman, described by police as the child's baby sitter, was arrested at 11:10 a.m. and released yesterday pending investigation. She faces a charge of second-degree murder.
The city medical examiner yesterday identified the boy as Jose Flores of Waipahu. An autopsy showed that the child died of "intracranial injuries due to abusive head trauma," the medical examiner said.
Police said the boy was taken to his baby sitter at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, but when he was picked up at 5:15 p.m. by his mother's boyfriend, the boy was unresponsive. The child was taken to St. Francis Medical Center West and then to Tripler Army Medical Center where he underwent surgery to relieve swelling of his brain.
The boy died at 12:34 a.m. Thursday, police said.
Pole problem cuts power to Puna area
HILO, Hawai'i — A cross arm that collapsed on a power distribution pole in Hawaiian Paradise Park cut power to 3,142 homes and businesses in Puna yesterday morning, according to Hawai'i Electric Light Co.
The power cutoff affected Paradise Park in lower Puna as well as the Kurtistown area.
The support device on the Paradise Drive pole broke at 1:24 a.m. A HELCO spokesman said power was restored to all customers by 7:43 a.m.
