More officers needed for ticketing program
By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Honolulu Police Department would need four additional officers to administer a program that would allow volunteers help police enforce parking and abandoned-vehicle laws.
Capt. Jose Gaytan of the HPD Traffic Division said that after experience with a volunteer disabled parking enforcement program, the police department would like to have field supervisors to keep the volunteers safe.
Without the extra positions, HPD could still handle the program, but other things would fall through the cracks, Gaytan said.
A bill introduced by City Council member Mike Gabbard would enable volunteers to issue parking, littering and abandoned-vehicle tickets so police would have more time to address other crimes. It is modeled on the ongoing program of volunteers issuing citations for illegal parking in disabled spaces.
Councilmembers unanimously forwarded the bill, which will have one more committee hearing before a final vote by the council.
George Fox, a volunteer who issues disabled parking citations, said "(volunteers) should have extensive training using mock scenarios because there are a lot of confrontations."
One dicey situation can be confiscating a disabled parking placard for improper use, he said. Or sometimes, he said, "When you're filling out a citation, they're right in your ear yelling."
The citations carry a $255 fine.
Retiree Richard Nagahara, 66, objected to wording that would allow volunteers to enforce the laws on private property. "I'd rather have the police do it than volunteers," he said.
However, Fox pointed out that most of the disabled parking spaces are on private property such as shopping centers.
In other council business, the council advanced a bill that would raise the motor vehicle registration for O'ahu drivers by about $18 to $30 each year to help cover raises for police officers. Bill 69 raises the vehicle weight tax to 2 cents per pound from 1.25 cents per pound. The bill now moves to the Budget Committee for discussion.
Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.
