Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, May 27, 2023

Five new Deputy Sheriffs will be assigned to Hawai'i Island, following their graduation May 26 with the pinning on of badges after training on O'ahu. Photo from Hawai'i Sheriffs

AN ARREST FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER IN OCEAN VIEW followed a shooting Saturday afternoon that left a 32-year-old Ocean View man in critical condition.
    Shortly after 2:30 p.m., Kaʻū patrol officers responded to a report of a man with a gunshot wound at a residence in the 92-8000 block of Leilani Parkway in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Upon arrival, officers determined that the victim had received three gunshot wounds as a result of an altercation between himself and a neighbor.

    The victim was transported by Hawai'i Fire Department medics to Kona Community Hospital, where he was reported to be in critical but stable condition and expected to be transferred to Queens Medical Center on O'ahu for further treatment.
    The suspect, 47-year-old Thomas Allen of Ocean View, was taken into custody without incident by  Kaʻū patrol officers shortly after 3 p.m.
    Detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigation Section responded to the scene and are continuing the investigation.
    Police ask that anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact the non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311 or Detective Donovan Kohara at (808) 326-4646, ext. 238, or email him at Donovan.Kohara@hawaiicounty.gov.

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FIVE NEW DEPUTY SHERIFFS will be assigned to Hawai'i Island. They graduated from their state Sheriff's Division training program in Honolulu on Friday through the state Public Safety Department and state Department of Law Enforcement. Officials, family members and friends gathered at the State Capitol Auditorium  to witness graduation of Law Enforcement Recruit Class (LERC) 22-02 for Deputy Sheriffs. Thirteen new deputies were added to the Sheriff Division and will be assigned to positions across the state.

    The Sheriff Division is led by Hawai'i State Sheriff Mark Hanohano and Public Safety Director Tommy Johnson. The Sheriff Division website says it carries out law enforcement services statewide. Its mission is to preserve the peace by protecting all persons and property within premises under the control of the Judiciary and all State facilities; providing process services and execution of court documents; handling detained persons; and providing secure transportation for persons in custody. It also provides law enforcement services at the Honolulu International Airport.
    Sheriffs are involved at various stages of the criminal justice system. At the initial stage, they arrest, book and process persons entering the system. At the police cellblock, they secure, escort and transport detainees. They escort, secure and transport juvenile and adult inmates to inter-island and intra-state destinations for court appearances.

Hawai'i Sheriffs graduating class on Friday, with five coming to work on Hawai'i island.  Photo from Hawai'i Sheriffs

    They serve arrest warrants and other documents, and execute writs of possession. Deputy sheriffs conduct criminal and civil investigations on cases that occur within the jurisdiction of State entities. They also conduct records verification and background checks.
    Sheriff's Division is the lead agency of the State Law Enforcement Coalition, which was formed to meet the mandates of the federal Homeland Security Act. The coalition implements federal guidelines on issues related to weapons of mass destruction.
    With the heightened call for the security of waterways and harbors, the Division has been assisting the Department of Transportation Harbors Division with security and law enforcement functions. Additionally, through its specialized canine unit, the Division is responsible for detecting narcotics and explosives in agencies within the Judiciary, the department’s correctional facilities, and other state and county agencies that request those services.
   Sheriffs also provide executive protection services to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and, when requested, national and international dignitaries. Although the functions and duties of deputy sheriffs vary in scope and nature, all Sheriff Division staff work in conjunction with other federal, state, and county law enforcement agencies to provide for the health, safety and welfare of all citizens in the State of Hawai'i.
    On Friday, new deputies received graduation certificates, followed by recitation of the Oath of Office and the Sheriff badge presentation. A family pinned the badge on each new Deputy Sheriff. Also honored was a criminal investigator from Department of Taxation, who attended the full law enforcement recruit class. He received a certification of completion. DoTAX will also have two additional investigators included in upcoming class which is set to begin in July.    “The recruits endured six months of intensive physical and academic training to get to this day as newly sworn in members of the Sheriff Division,” said the State Sheriff. “On behalf of the Division, I extend my congratulations and wish you well as you begin to carry out your duties to keep our community safe.”
     The recruits were trained in more than 1,000 hours of academic instruction and practical testing in constitutional and criminal law, ethical uses of force, physical fitness, traffic enforcement, firearms and physical control tactics.
     Student awards for Top Gun, Physical Fitness, Leadership, Academic Average and the Distinguished Recruit were also handed out to the recruits who ranked at the top of their class in those areas.
The new deputies will be sent out to work in various positions throughout the state. Eight will be assigned to Oʻahu and five to Hawaiʻi Island.