HPD board distances itself from union polls
By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Honolulu Police Commission has voted unanimously to adopt a motion not to consider any union-generated survey during annual evaluations of a police chief.
The motion, which passed Wednesday, was made after the commission received a report from Deputy Chief Glen Kajiyama about the progress of meetings between the department and representatives from the O'ahu chapter of the State of Hawai'i Organization of Police Officers, according to chairman Ron Taketa.
The meetings were scheduled following the release of the results of a "leadership survey" conducted by SHOPO's O'ahu chapter that panned Chief Boisse Correa and his administration. Prior to the survey, SHOPO and the department had been meeting regularly.
According to the commission counsel, Chris Diebling, the commission's charter prohibits intervention by the commission on issues of labor relations, Taketa said.
"Labor management and relations are an administrative responsibility," Taketa said. "The department is doing everything they can to resolve the issues with SHOPO, and we're satisfied that they're doing that."
The 15-question survey was mailed in November to 1,877 members of the SHOPO O'ahu chapter, who had two weeks to complete the survey.
About 56.9 percent, or 1,068 officers, completed the survey.
According to results, 76.1 percent stated Correa "never or almost never communicates accurately or precisely with them," while 73.7 percent stated Correa "never or almost never works well with line officers toward common goals."
In contrast, the commission's formal review of Correa, which was based on goals set at the time of his selection, was glowing.
POLICE COMMISSION VOTES IN NEW LEADERS
Ron Taketa has stepped down as Police Commission chairman after 15 years of service, during which he helped select three of the city's nine police chiefs.
Commissioner Cha Thompson replaces him as chair, and commissioner Boyd Andrade becomes vice chair. The two were voted into position by the commission Wednesday, Taketa said.
Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.
