BUREAUCRACY BUSTER
Public may view arrest data
By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Staff Writer
Q. I believe my son has been arrested and is in jail. I went to the main police station and asked to see the arrest log, but was told I could not. What is the policy there? Isn't it public record? If it is closed, how do I find out the status of my son?
A. The public can call 529-3331 to find out whether someone has been arrested, said Michelle Yu, spokeswoman for the Honolulu Police Department. The line operates at all hours. If the information is available, it is also possible to learn whether someone has been charged, Yu said. During business hours, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, the arrest and booking log may be viewed at the Records and Identification Division on the first floor of the Alapai Street police headquarters.
Q. A neighbor parks construction vehicles and commercial generators on his residential property in Kaimuki. Is that legal?
A. Storage of commercial vehicles and equipment is not permitted in residential districts. With your information, city officials said, the Department of Planning and Permitting conducted a site inspection last month and issued a notice of violation to the property owner to remove the vehicles and equipment.
Q. I am setting up a Web site for my child's private school. The school's Internet provider allots them a small amount of server space. But to have a more professional feel, a formal domain name should be used. The registration fee is $30 a year. Could this annual fee be covered by the Department of Education or some other agency?
A. The DOE does not have such a policy, according to department spokesman Greg Knudsen. However, private schools, like public schools and libraries, can apply for a federal grant known as "E-Rate" that can be used for discounts of 20 percent to 90 percent on telecommunication services.
"The size of the discount is linked to poverty — the higher the poverty (level of the school community), the higher the discount — and is determined by how many students are eligible for the free and reduced-price lunches under the federal School Lunch Program," Knudsen said.
The Web site specifically for private schools is at www.ed.gov/offices/OIIA/NonPublic/federal/erate.html. Forms also are posted at www.ed.gov/Technology/erateforms/.
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