There are dozens of city parks across Oahu.
While there’s a lot of good that happens there, there’s also some bad that happens there as well — like drug dealing.
Now a city lawmaker is trying to clean up the parks by keeping certain people out.
“A constituent in my council district asked me to introduce a bill that would prohibit convicted drug traffickers from entering our city parks,” said Honolulu City Councilman Ikaika Anderson.
“I have mixed feeling because if they’ve served their time you’re hoping that they’ve learned their lesson and should have as many rights as everyone else, by some people don’t learn their lesson and it is an open and convenient place to sell drugs,” Mililani resident Abby Kidani said.
Anderson said the resident who asked him to introduce the bill is a parent who’s concerned not only about the safety of her children, but also about the safety of all children and families who visit public parks.
“The bill may be amended during the public hearing process. One possible amendment would be to prohibit a convicted drug dealer from entering city parks in the area where they were convicted of dealing in,” Anderson said.
“I think it would be a good thing. I don’t know how they would enforce it,” Honolulu resident Napua Ho said.
“Enforcement may, and I stress may be an issue. We will have to work this out with the Honolulu Police Department in the public hearing process,” Anderson said.
Bill 9 passed first reading during Wednesday’s council meeting, and has not been scheduled for a public hearing yet.
Purpose. The purpose of this ordinance is to prohibit persons convicted of promoting or trafficking in a drug or intoxicating compound under Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 712, Part IV, from entering public parks.
