Disappeared News

by Larry Geller

Many thanks to Civil Beat for covering this story: Is Honolulu Police Protection Now For Sale? (Civil Beat, 10/5/2011).

Resolution 11-247, like a handful of others approved at the Council's meeting Wednesday, relates to a gift to the city. But this gift isn't travel to a conference or money to maintain city golf course facilities or 500 tickets to a University of Hawaii football game.

It's a $75,000 check from a group of businesses to the Honolulu Police Department to address specific illegal activities in one particular neighborhood — Waikiki.

So let’s cut to the chase on this—if allowed, a group of people who have $75,000 on hand can in effect “privatize” the Honolulu Police to do their own bidding.

Someone could be killed in Kalihi because the cops are working for these businesses, clearing the sidewalks in Waikiki.

Or they could be paid to clear out prostitutes, and when they move to your neighborhood it’s just too bad. Go raise some money and buy your own police services.

If this catches on, they could simply hold an auction to determine who gets cops and who doesn’t.

This is a bad idea, and I hope it’s somehow illegal. Each citizen of Honolulu is entitled to equal protection and equal services regardless of ability to pay.

Check out the Civil Beat article, and see what you want to do about it.

Permalink posted by Larry @ 10/05/2011 07:38:00 PM