Police struggle with overtime, vacancies

KAILUA-KONA — Manpower and budget issues continue to plague the Hawaii Police Department.

Police described to commissioners during the Police Commission’s monthly meeting held Friday of the struggles they face in filling vacancies on the force as well as dispatch. Two months into the 2017-18 fiscal year, officers are already predicting a deficit in its overtime budget.

“If they are to serve the public they need to have the manpower and budget to complete the task they’re supposed to do,” said Keith Morioka, commission chairman.

Assistant Chief Marshall K. Kanehailua with the Administrative Services Bureau told commissioners there are 11 vacancies right now and they anticipate retirements at the end of the month.

Maj. Samuel Thomas said that more than 55 officers have enough time on the force where they can retire.

Kanehailua described for commissioners the application process for new recruits. While the last class had 458 applicants, he said, after the written and first initial agility test only about 150 passed.

Once in the recruitment class, Kanehailua said, some can’t keep up academically and some can’t keep up physically.

The 85th recruitment class started with 14 and is down to four. Those four are nearly ready to be out on their own.

The 86th recruitment class started May 16 and is currently in classroom training. It started with 17 recruits and is down to 13.

Kanehailua said the retention of recruits is starting to become problematic. The department is looking at ways they can adjust the test to sift out the stronger candidates earlier on.

“We can’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results,” he said.

Kanehailua reported to the commission that the dispatch center has also been fluctuating vacancies. He said it is a nationwide problem.

There are currently 13 vacancies on Hawaii Island.

“It’s very difficult to fill positions,” Kanehailua said. “Dispatchers are working 16-hour shifts to make sure all the calls are covered.”

Nineteen applicants were recently interviewed for positions in the dispatch center. Thomas said they only felt comfortable hiring four. They will start Oct. 2.

Thomas also said that both Areas I and II are in need of an increase of first line supervisors or sergeants. Speaking specifically to Area II, Thomas said, with the exception of Kona, the other Area II districts lack enough first line supervisors for 24/7 supervision.

“It’s something we’d like to see happen today — yesterday,” Thomas said of increasing first line supervisors.

When officers require supervision, they contact the next district. The cost of a new sergeant is $100,000.

The commissioners also had concerns about the budget.

“It’s in the public’s interest that the department be funded,” said commissioner Arthur Buckman.

Last fiscal year, 2016-17, the budget was $65.098 million. This year, the budget was approved at $65.5 million.

Thomas said the increase came in the form of difference in pay, as well as $600,000 from the county to replace fleet vehicles.

The county instructed all departments to reduce their budgets by 5 percent.

Thomas said there were minor cutbacks in office supplies as well as repairs to facilities and vehicles.

“When you make cuts in those areas you hope they don’t fall apart,” Thomas said.

Last fiscal year, the overtime budget was set at about $2.6 million. Police went over that budget by $1.5 million.

Last year, Thomas said, there were a lot of fires on the Kohala coast that officers responded to.

Also, an officer can earn up to 100 hours of overtime before it must be used.

Thomas said officers can accrue overtime hours within one fiscal year but not use them until the following year.

This fiscal year, the overtime budget was set at about $2.4 million. On Friday, Kanehailua said the department is on target to have an overtime deficit of more than $2 million.

“The biggest issue is the budget, or the lack of it,” Morioka said.