Posted on: Thursday, June 24, 2004

EDITORIAL
'Cold cases' should go where expertise is

Scientific advances in DNA testing and other technology have vastly changed the way law enforcement goes about its business these days.

Cases that once would have been virtually impossible to solve now are cracked through high-tech investigative techniques. It may not be quite as fabulous as the fictional "CSI" program on television, but the techniques now available are impressive.

So it's understandable that the state attorney general's office is interested in getting into the game. It recently received a $200,000 federal grant to open its own "cold case" unit to take a fresh look at unsolved homicides.

But the Honolulu Police Department, which has its own cold-case unit and the majority of unsolved cases in Hawai'i, has declined to participate in the program.

That's somewhat understandable. Participation in the state unit would inevitably draw resources away from the existing operation.

No one is suggesting there won't be cooperation when and where it is appropriate. After all, both state and county have the same ultimate goal: solving cases that have long been dormant.

From a longer view, it might make more sense to beef up existing county cold-case units rather than starting a new one from scratch at the state level.

It may be that the specific federal grant is restricted to investigation of homicide cases. But if there is flexibility, the state might better use the money to light a fire under cold cases where it has direct and primary responsibility.

One example would be regulation and enforcement in the case of nonprofit organizations. The state's efforts to ensure nonprofits are fulfilling their public purpose in a way that justifies their exemption from taxes are woefully underfunded.

This is an area where the local police departments have little or no expertise.

Another area where cases sometimes linger due to lack of resources is in white-collar crimes. Again, the state has substantial responsibility here.

Bottom line is there is enough crime around, solved and unsolved, to keep all of law enforcement busy. There is little to be gained by duplication of resources or efforts.