Patrol adds presence to park
By Allison Schaefers
Advertiser Staff Writer
As Ginny Hench rolled across the one-mile path that connects Ala Moana and Magic Island, her eyes were moving just about as fast as her feet in their in-line skates.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser
The Kaimuki resident looked to the left, to the right and to the center of the sidewalk. Then, she began scanning Fourth of July crowds looking for anything that looked suspicious or anyone who needed assistance.
Sharon Pascua of the Honolulu Skate Patrol was among those patrolling Ala Moana park on the Fourth of July.
As a member of the Honolulu Skate Patrol, Hench is one of about 15 citizens who volunteer their weekend time to help HPD patrol the park. She was joined by three other members of the patrol during her volunteer shift on the Fourth of July. In six years, the patrol has only taken one weekend off.
"We're an extra set of eyes and ears for the Police Department," Hench said. "This park doesn't really belong to any one neighborhood so we try to take care of it."
The Honolulu Skate Patrol helps make Ala Moana Beach Park safer by providing a security presence to supplement police officers. It's part of a national network of about 750 volunteers who help police patrol select areas in more than 20 cities throughout North America. Skate patrols are also found in England and Puerto Rico, said Hench, who serves on the National Skate Patrol's executive board.
"They are basically a neighborhood security watch on wheels," said police officer Grant Jhun. "When they go out in a group in some kind of uniform it shows the people in that area that these people care, and it helps weed out the bad elements."
Honolulu skate patrollers aren't police officers, but they come close. They wear red and black uniforms with official safety markings, and are trained in CPR and how to handle medical emergencies. They've also taken a community policing class to learn how to spot trouble and what to do when they see it.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser
They aren't armed, but skate patrollers carry cell phones so that they can alert police officers when there are problems.
Sharon Pascua and Brandi-Ann Tanaka skate through Ala Moana park, on the lookout for anything suspicious or people in need of help.
They've returned lost children to parents, including one toddler who had made his way to Outback Steakhouse in Waikiki on a Hot Wheels scooter before his family sounded the alarm. They've also helped prevent domestic disturbances from turning into violent confrontations by alerting police at the first signs of danger.
They can move through crowds and get through tight spots quicker than squad cars or bikes.
In one lost child case, members of the skate patrol took to the beach to find him.
"That was difficult. We kept getting sand in our skates," said Lorraine Fay, a longtime patrol member.
It's not an easy job. Skate patrollers have been hit by pigeons with poor depth perception and run into by out-of-control skaters, said patroller Sharon Pascua of Waipahu.
Skate patrollers are always helping people out. They give directions to lost tourists and help irate motorists find parking spots. They stop potential car thieves by patrolling parking lots and by returning car keys to those who leave them in their cars.
They have also helped an inline-skater or two such as Theresa Sorensen of Moanalua Valley, who on Friday needed some guidance on breaking in her new in-line skates.
"You guys must have read my mind," Sorensen said as she wobbled through a packed parking lot at Ala Moana Beach Park. "I was just sitting here thinking that I couldn't stop. And then, you guys came like little guardian angels."
• Want to know more?
For details on free in-line skating lessons or about becoming a member of the skate patrol, e-mail Ginny Hench at sk8legal@prodigy.net.
