HILO — A proposal to set statewide standards for law enforcement agencies in Hawaii will live to see another day after the House Labor Committee deferred it earlier this week. ADVERTISING HILO — A proposal to set statewide standards for
HILO — A proposal to set statewide standards for law enforcement agencies in Hawaii will live to see another day after the House Labor Committee deferred it earlier this week.
That House committee’s action typically means the end for legislation, but state Sen. Will Espero said he was able to “breath new life” into his bill.
Espero, D-Oahu, said Labor Committee Chairman Rep. Mark Nakashima agreed to instead waive the bill, effectively nullifying the previous action.
“In this case, because it was a triple referral, he (Nakashima) was able to waive it off and make it a double referral,” said Espero, referring to the number of committees that must review the bill.
Senate Bill 2755 will next be sent to the House Judiciary and Finance committees.
Espero said Hawaii is the only state without a standards board for law enforcement.
“Certainly it is a way to put into statute some statewide recruitment standards, training standards and better oversight of all of our law enforcement agencies in both county and the state,” he said.
Espero has introduced several other police-related bills, including legislation to require officers wear body cameras (Senate Bill 2411) and create a board to review instances of police causing injuries or death on the job (Senate Bill 2196).
Both remain alive this session.
Another bill that would create a database for police misconduct wasn’t as fortunate.
Espero said he introduced Senate Bill 2304 in response to the alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl by a state Department of Land and Natural Resources conservation officer New Year’s Day in Hilo.
The officer, Ethan Ferguson, has been charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault and three counts of fourth-degree sexual assault.
DLNR hired Ferguson after the Honolulu Police Department fired him for misconduct. Pursuant to HPD’s rules, his disciplinary file was shredded 30 months after the department’s investigation that led to his dismissal began.
Espero said there needs to be a “singular database” where such disciplinary actions are preserved.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t get a hearing out of Judiciary (Committee),” he said.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com
