Volume 1, Issue 3 A Note From the October 2012 Director’s Office As I sat here trying to decide what out on - read the newspaper to write to all of you I thought, at my own pace and sleep in ‘What would you want to hear from past 6 a.m. When I was me?’ It struck me that this is the asked to come back I was first newsletter going out since I hesitant at first. Did I want came back to the Department of to give up my life of leisure Public Safety in June. As you to rejoin the fast pace of know, I was Director 10 years ago, PSD once again? After and when my time was done, I some time to think it over, moved on to become a private con- my answer was ‘yes’. You sultant. In my 10 years away I had may think I’m crazy for say- a chance to do things I had missed ing it, but I realized I missed the people. Many of the hard working employees I knew Ted Sakai 10 years ago are still here, Interim PSD Director To uphold justice and still pushing the Department forward, still continuing to Especially on those days, I public safety by providing promote public safety for the know that I made the right communities we serve. I decision to come back. Lots correctional and law know there are days when of things have changed in the work seems endless. But enforcement services to the 10 years I was gone, but there are also days when I some things remain, like the see the hard work you all do Hawaii’s communities people who make Public come to fruition through Safety the amazing and your dedication to programs with professionalism, unique place that it is. That and practices that better the is something I am truly glad lives of the people we serve. integrity and fairness. for. Justice Reinvestment Initiative Begins There is consensus among policymakers in Hawaii a data-driven justice reinvestment strategy to reduce that the state needs to right size our prison popula- spending on corrections, reinvest savings into pro- tion. As of 2011, approximately one-third of the grams and eventually reduce the need to house inmates state’s adult prison population is housed out of in out-of-state facilities. To this end, they sought as- state. At the same time, state leaders are deter- sistance from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a divi- mined to reduce violent crime, which, like the state sion of the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Pew prison population, has increased significantly over Center on the States. the last decade. The state leaders agreed to establish a bipartisan, inter- Governor Neil Abercrombie, Chief Justice Mark branch Justice Reinvestment Working Group, com- Recktenwald, Senate President Shan Tsutsui, prised of leading state and local officials, which would House Speaker Calvin Say and Department of receive intensive technical assistance from the Council Public Safety Director Ted Sakai seek to employ on State Governments (CSG) Justice… (Cont’d pg. 2) Special points of interest: •Sheriff Warrant Sweep HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY •Sheriff Recruit Graduation with U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye •Halawa GED Graduation Ceremony •PSD Incentive Awards Ceremony •PSD Walkers “Step-Out” for Diabetes Across PSD Across Justice Investment Initiative Begins (Cont. from pg. 1) … Center. The CSG Justice Center assisted the first three working days of a person’s commitment working group in analyzing data and developing to a community correctional center. Other PSD Bills that passed a comprehensive set of policy options. This allows the courts to more quickly exercise Legislative session: During the previous Legislative session, those discretion in determining whether to release a pre- policy options were transformed into SB 2776 trial offender. The bill also requires PSD to provide • Act 140 - Probation; sentencing with the help of lawmakers like Senator Will the Hawaii Paroling Authority with validated evi- Espero and Representative Henry Aquino, who dence based risk assessments for inmates considered • Act 141 - Reentry championed and helped pass the bill. The bill for parole. It also limits to six months the length of was signed into law by the Governor this year as time certain parole violators can be held in prison. • Act 076 - Comprehensive Of- Act 139-2012. This bill will also help the Hawaii Paroling Authori- fender Reentry System Act 139 will improve the State’s criminal justice ty, which will now consist of five members. It also system and increase public safety by focusing on changes the terms for when parole will be granted. • Act 051- Pre-sentence Reports incarceration, supervision, and treatment in a Act 139 also increases the amount of victim restitu- manner that most efficiently addresses and reduc- tion collection to 25 % of the total of all moneys • Act 050 - Detention Credit for es the recidivism rate. earned, new deposits, and credits to the inmate’s Time Served The purpose of Act 139 is to address the areas of individual account. The money is deducted monthly pretrial process, parole, and payment of restitu- and paid to the victim once the amount reaches $25, • Act 029 - Controlled Substances tion to reduce costly inefficiencies, hold offend- or annually, whichever comes first. ers more accountable, and reinvest savings in • Act 077 - Federal Reimburse- more effective public safety strategies. For more information on Act 139, copy and paste ment Max. Special Funds The pretrial population has increased due to this link into your internet browser: longer lengths of stay. The bill now requires that http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2012/bills/G • an objective assessment be conducted within the Act 142 - Service of Process M1241_.pdf. Two Sheriff K9 Teams Honored for Helping Sniff Out Drugs Two Sheriff Deputies and their Deputy Sheriff Patrick Lewis with Deputy Sheriff Canine Rico canines were recognized by the United States for their work in “Operation Club Shabu”. Postal Inspection Service for their role in “Operation Club Shabu.” The national opera- The team randomly screened more than 170,000 tion ran from January 23 to February 10, 2012 parcels, of which, 225 were alerted on by the and targeted illegal importation of controlled K9s. substances into Hawaii and Guam through the The Operation resulted in 36 arrests along with U.S. mail. the seizure of various types of contraband, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Team Leader more than $726,000 in cash. Miguel Montalvo presented a letter of appreci- The first of several asset forfeiture checks was ation to Sheriff Division K9 Unit Members also given to the Sheriff Division. That money Deputy Sheriff Randall Silva with Deputy can be used for law enforcement training and Lt to Rt: Deputy Sheriff Randall Silva and Zorro, Sher- Sheriff Canine Zorro; and Deputy Sheriff equipment. iff Shawn Tsuha, Deputy Sheriff Pat Lewis and Rico Recent Sheriff Warrant Sweeps Result in 27 Arrests As part of an ongoing effort to address out- Charging and three probation and supervised re- standing warrants, the Sheriff Division Special lease violations. Operations Section-Fugitive Unit conducts night warrant sweeps throughout the year. Since January, 2,738 warrants have been served. The sweeps target traffic, Grand Jury, Proba- “We will continue to work at reducing the existing warrants backlog by utilizing sweeps to maximize tion/Parole violations and criminal outstanding limited resources,” said State Sheriff Shawn Tsuha. warrants. Special Note: In October, KITV’s Paula Akana On a sweep in late September, 40 warrants went out with the Warrants Teams to witness the were cleared and 27 arrests were made. The sweeps first hand. The KITV feature will air in warrants included 10 felony, 23 traffic, six November. We will have more on her story in the criminal and one outside assist. The felonies next newsletter. consisted of seven Grand Jury/Information 2012 PSD Team, Manager, Employee of the Year Named The picks for the 2012 Public Safety Incen- runner up is the Sheriff Division, Special Employee of the Year was HCCC Business Ser- tive Awards have been named. The Team, Operation Section Fugitive Unit. vices Supervisor Margaret Serain. Manager and Employee of the Year went on to represent the department in the Governor’s Manager of the Year was KCCC Chief of Three Special Service Awards were also presented. Security Lewis Lindsey. The runner up was Daniel Kauleinamoku was recognized for coordi- Award Ceremony. WCCC’s Winona “Bootsie” Kauwe. The nating the relocation of staff from the AAFES This year’s pick for Team of the Year was Sustained Superior Performance Award went building during the week of September 4-7. With- the Narcotics Enforcement Division. The to HCCC ACO Clayton Morante and the out him it couldn’t have happened. (Cont’d pg. 3) Page 2 ACROSS PSD U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye Guest Speaker at Sheriff Recruit Graduation U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye, members of the Legislature, Public Safety Offi- cials, family and friends gathered in Waipio on August 24th to witness the grad- uation of the 2012 Sheriff Recruit Class at the Hawaii Okinawa Center. 17 new Deputies were added to the Sheriff Division. "For more than 150 years, Hawaii Sheriffs have bravely protected our way of life. Their dedication to duty and willingness to sacrifice to maintain the safe and stable communities we enjoy is to be commended,” stated U.S. Senator Inouye. “Since assuming the role of President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, I Top to bottom: Sen. Daniel Inouye speaks to have been fortunate to benefit from their experience and expertise each time I Sheriff Recruit Class.