Kahalu'u united in anti-drug campaign
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer
The people of Kahalu'u have never shied away from a fight.
Advertiser library photo
They're part of an area with a history of activism. Whether the fight is against development, for water rights, or just to protect their way of life, residents in the rural areas of Windward O'ahu know what it means to stand together against a common enemy.
"I have never seen any community with so much concern and willingness to step forward as Kahalu'u," U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo said.
Now they're doing it again.
This time the threat is "ice," crystal methamphetamine, a highly addictive drug that has devastated families across Hawai'i and the nation.
Since two town meetings about ice drew nearly 500 people, many sharing tragic stories of loved ones lost to addiction, of crime, fear and helplessness, the residents of Kahalu'u have moved quickly to fight back.
On Friday afternoon, they will be joined by hundreds of people who hope to line Kamehameha Highway from Kahalu'u to Kahuku in a sign-waving campaign to alert users and dealers that the community won't stand for the illegal activities anymore.
"We want to send the message loud and clear that this community will fight any drugs in the community," said MaryAnne Long, chairwoman of the Ko'olauloa Neighborhood Board. "The idea is if somebody is planning on setting up shop, they better think twice."
U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo said community empowerment is the essence of being able to fight back.
Sign waving
"Once the community puts its foot down like that, you are going to start seeing dramatic results," Kubo said. "I have never seen any community with so much concern and willingness to step forward as Kahalu'u."
Kubo said law enforcement is stepping up its efforts to fight ice on the Windward side.
"I'm working closely with DEA and HPD on that issue right now and I've promised the community that they will see a lot more of us," he said.
The community's efforts seem to be working already, said Keith Ryder, pastor of Light of Promise Church and organizer of the Kahalu'u sign wavers.
"We've already seen some of the dealers leaving because of the awareness that we're bringing," said Ryder.
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Response to the sign-waving campaign has been overwhelming, said Long, who expects a sign-waving group every quarter-mile. In Hau'ula alone, people have promised to have three to four sign holders at Hau'ula park, Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center, Hau'ula Homestead Road and the church near Sacred Falls, she said.
"Drug (use) in our communities is increasing and unless the communities collaborate, it's going to get worse," Sunny Greer said.
Sign wavers will also be in Kahalu'u, Punalu'u, La'ie and Kahuku, said Sunny Greer, a Kahana Valley resident and secretary-treasurer and public safety chairwoman for the Ko'olauloa Neighborhood Board.
Agencies, church groups, schools, Scout troops and businesses have been invited to join the effort. If all these entities work together a positive solution can be found, Greer said.
"Drug (use) in our communities is increasing and unless the communities collaborate, it's going to get worse," she said.
The sign waving is a prelude to a third community meeting May 8 to address drug use in Kahalu'u.
But that's just the beginning of the community's war against drugs.
Five new Windward neighborhood watch groups have been trained in the six weeks since Kahalu'u's first town meeting on ice and two more groups will be trained in May, police said.
More and more people are becoming the eyes and ears for police through Neighborhood Security Watch and Citizen Patrols, said Sgt. Ardi Maioho, with the Kahuku police station. In Ko'olauloa, watches or patrols are in place in Punalu'u, La'ie and Kahuku, and interest in beginning new groups has been expressed in Kahuku elderly housing, Hau'ula and Ka'a'awa, she said.
Town-hall meeting On Drugs
"The community has a lot to do in our crime solving," Maioho said, pointing to the recent capture of three prison escapees. Two of those prisoners were recaptured because of a tip. "It's the communities that are calling and giving us the tips."
A four-pronged strategy for attacking the ice problem will be presented to the communities soon, said Greer. The strategy is known as LATE, for Law enforcement, Advocacy, Treatment and Education/prevention, Greer said.
She said people at one of the recent Kahalu'u town meetings kept saying, "it's too late, ice has been here for 20 years." But she and John Reppun, a Kahalu'u Neighborhood Board member, want to send another message: "It's better late than never," Greer said.
Ryder said he's hoping 200 people will show up to wave signs in Kahalu'u. He said he has invited other churches and has heard from people in Kailua. He's telling agencies and churches to bring their banners and members.
Over the weekend, Ryder and others were to gather to make signs bearing such messages as "Not in Our House 96744," "Zero Tolerance" and "Ice Breakers."
"We're serious as a community in taking back our community and making our community drug free," Ryder said.
