Maui police looks to outfit officers with body cameras ADVERTISING Maui police looks to outfit officers with body cameras WAILUKU, Maui (AP) — The Maui Police Department is considering outfitting officers with body-worn cameras. The department has requested proposals from
Maui police looks to outfit officers with body cameras
WAILUKU, Maui (AP) — The Maui Police Department is considering outfitting officers with body-worn cameras.
The department has requested proposals from vendors for a technology system. Vendors have until March 25 to submit proposals for testing the cameras.
Assistant Chief John Jakubczak said the request doesn’t mean the department will begin using cameras, but instead is an indication that they are seriously considering their options.
“Now it’s more of a serious look at the technology,” he said. “It’s not something you can just go out and purchase off the shelf.
MPD has received two grants totaling less than $200,000 toward the purchase of a body-worn camera system.
A committee that includes police officers and police researchers has been considering body-worn cameras for some time.
Last year, some police officers tested body cameras after two vendors supplied the department with the technology for a trial run.
“It gave us an opportunity to look at how this equipment worked,” Jakubczak said. “It allowed officers a firsthand look at this technology.”
He said there were pros and cons between different types of cameras and that the department is considering many factors before committing to a system.
“Are we leaning toward it? Yes. We’re seriously looking into it,” Jakubczak said. “But are we obviously going to go into it? I don’t want to say that.”
Honolulu to pay $48,500 to settle sidewalk clearing suit
HONOLULU (AP) — Honolulu officials have agreed to pay $48,500 to 21 homeless people to settle a lawsuit challenging the way the city enforced its laws that prohibit blocking or storing property on sidewalks.
The City Council voted in favor of the settlement Wednesday after reaching an agreement with the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii last month.
The agreement allows the city to continue enforcing its policy as long as it doesn’t dispose of personal belongings such as tents, clothing and household goods. The city has also agreed to make improvements to its impounding and storage procedures and make it easier for people to retrieve their property.
The city is allowed to immediately dispose of combustible or hazardous items, weapons, illicit drugs, items that contain urine or feces, and items “that cannot reasonably be construed as anything other than trash.”
Daniel Gluck, ACLU of Hawaii’s legal director, said the lawsuit was not meant to stop the city’s enforcement actions, but to make sure that those actions were in line with the U.S. Constitution.
In its lawsuit, the ACLU accused city employees conducting sweeps of homeless encampments of violating the Fourth and 14th amendments by seizing and immediately destroying personal property. It also said the city failed to give a required 24 hours’ notice of the sweeps on multiple occasions.
Councilman Trevor Ozawa said the settlement has brought changes to the city that will help it better enforce its sidewalk-clearing laws.
“It resulted in clearer policies for the city administration going forward, which is the most important thing out of this whole result,” Ozawa said. “So in the end, it’s a good settlement between the city and ACLU.”
The City Council has also approved an additional $50,000 to pay its legal fees in the case, bringing the total spent in the city’s defense to $150,000
