Some Big Island judges are expressing concern the state may not be doing enough to ensure courtroom safety.
The issue came to light recently after a district court judge was forced to hold proceedings at the Naalehu Courthouse on July 14 without the presence of state deputy sheriffs.
On August 4 Deputy Chief Judge Barbara Takase wrote a letter to state lawmakers, Chief Justice Ronald T.Y. Moon and officials within the Department of Public Safety expressing concern about the situation.
“Being that there is no security screening and having a courtroom where the defendants are in close proximity with the judge, attorneys and staff, the judge felt uncomfortable with having no sheriffs available to provide court security," Takase wrote.
"Other judges have also voiced their concerns with having no sheriffs,” she continued, “especially at courthouses with no security screenings.”
Typically, sheriffs are present during all court proceedings across the state in order to provide security to judges, judiciary staff and the public.
However due to death, retirement and a hiring freeze eleven deputy sheriff positions remain vacant on the Big Island, six in Kona and five in Hilo. Statewide twenty-six deputy sheriff positions need to be filled.
Public Safety Director Clayton Frank told Khon2 his department received permission from the governor’s office to hire additional deputies for assignment to the Big Island, however training could take as long as six months.
Frank said emergency eighty-nine day hires may be used to help fill the gap until permanent replacements are ready to takeover.
“We’re just going to have to hunker down and eventually request more funding from the legislature,” said Frank.
James Propotnick, deputy director of the Law Enforcement Division within the Department of Public Safety said the sheriffs division is in constant contact with Big Island court administrators to go over daily needs. He said if sheriffs are not available for a particular courtroom there is usually advance notice.
Sen. Will Espero, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, is watching the situation carefully after receiving the August 4 letter from Judge Takase.
"When you get a letter from the judge as many of us did get, I think that really shows that it's a serious problem,” said Espero. “This is just the unfortunate result of the economic downturn which has affected every state and city agency, including law enforcement.”
The situation on the Big Island reached a point where court administrators were forced to take action by moving court calendars to other locations.
"For our rural courts,” said Third Circuit Deputy Chief Court Administrator Dawn West, “we're having to relocate those on a temporary basis to Kona and Waimea,”
The changes are set to begin October 1 and will last until further notice.
“We realize consolidating court hearings that would have been held at five rural courthouses into two courts - South Kohala and Kona - will be an inconvenience to the North Kohala, Hamakua and Kau communities,” Marsha Kitagawa, the Judiciary’s Public Affairs Officer, said Wednesday in a press release.
“Unfortunately, we felt we had no other choice given the lack of manpower currently faced by the Sheriffs Office.”Have a news tip? Contact Andrew Pereira at 368-7273. Follow me on Twitter at
