New member wants commission to investigate chief ADVERTISING New member wants commission to investigate chief HONOLULU (AP) — A newly confirmed member of the Honolulu Police Commission is calling on the group to investigate allegations of rights violations and other
New member wants commission to investigate chief
HONOLULU (AP) — A newly confirmed member of the Honolulu Police Commission is calling on the group to investigate allegations of rights violations and other wrongdoing by the city’s embattled police chief, who is the subject of a federal probe.
During her confirmation hearing Wednesday, Loretta Sheehan urged the commission to take immediate action, saying Police Chief Louis Kealoha lost the public’s trust.
A grand jury has been meeting to hear evidence in the federal case against Kealoha for about a year.
The police chief and his deputy prosecutor wife, Katherine Kealoha, are accused of using special police units to investigate relatives while they were involved in a family financial dispute.
Sheehan said she will discuss her plan with commission Chairman Ron Taketa, who has expressed concern about interfering with the federal investigation.
Dispute could escalate to state Supreme Court
LIHUE, Kauai (AP) — The Kauai County Council decided to spend up to $15,000 in taxpayer money on special counsel to represent the police commission should a legal battle against the mayor go to the Hawaii Supreme Court.
The council’s vote Wednesday comes after an appeals court determined in June that Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. didn’t have the authority to discipline Police Chief Darryl Perry in 2012. The court ruled the power lies with the police commission.
Carvalho suspended Perry for seven days based on an investigation into a personnel dispute, said county Attorney Mauna Kea Trask.
In approving the funds for the police commission on Wednesday, the council shot down a proposal to spend up to $30,000 for special counsel for the mayor. Carvalho will have to rely on his private attorney and the Office of the County Attorney.
Trask said that his office would have had to represent both parties if the money did not get approved by the council.
“I don’t think this is a feud,” Trask said. “This is two high-ranking departments having a question about legality. It affects every other county commission and state board. It’s a big question. I think it deserves a Supreme Court decision.”
Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. posts 2Q profit
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. on Thursday reported second-quarter earnings of $44.6 million.
The Honolulu-based company said it had profit of 41 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for costs related to mergers and acquisitions and nonrecurring costs, came to 43 cents per share.
The parent of Hawaii’s largest electricity generator posted revenue of $566.2 million in the period.
HEI shares have increased nearly 6 percent since the beginning of the year.
The stock has climbed slightly more than 1 percent in the past 12 months.
