Posted on: Monday, June 27, 2005

12 police to join Wahiawa district

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Central O'ahu Writer

The City Council has approved spending to staff a new police beat in Mililani Mauka and a bicycle patrol in the Wahiawa district.

Council Chairman Donovan Dela Cruz said $273,072 has been budgeted for six positions to create the Mililani Mauka beat, and $283,000 to pay for six officers, expenses and equipment to create a bicycle unit. The money will be available Friday.

But HPD may not have the personnel available to immediately fill 12 new positions, according to Maj. Michael Thomas, commander of the Wahiawa district.

Thomas' command is the most widespread of HPD's eight patrol districts; 119 officers cover the area from Roosevelt Bridge at Kipapa Gulch to the Mokule'ia side of Ka'ena Point and up to Sunset Beach.

"It will certainly help," Thomas said of the 12 new positions. "This is a win-win situation for both the community and the officers. Police work entails not only crimes and complaints, but servicing the community, whether it be helping with special events or in other ways to help improve the quality of life."

Mililani Mauka's 6,300 homes represent about one-third of the houses in Mililani. The population of Mililani is expected to reach 50,000 by 2008.

Mililani is one of three sectors in the Wahiawa police district. The other sectors are Wahiawa and the North Shore. Every sector has had four beats, and each beat is covered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Adding a fifth Mililani beat translates into having one additional officer on the job per shift, said Wahiawa patrol Lt. Charles Wong. But because of retirements, sick leaves or vacations, the number of beat officers per shift rarely has added up to 12, he said.

"On a good day, we could have 10 guys working (the entire district) per shift," Wong said. "Some days, we have only eight or nine. So for us, (adding) one person makes a huge difference."

Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.