Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
December 10, 2009
Dear Mayor Kenoi,
The election of November 4, 2008 which brought you to office also recorded 35,000 votes in favor of a new county law; the Lowest Law Enforcement Priority of Cannabis Ordinance. As a result of these change in priorities the Police Department has been directed to respect the sanctity and privacy of our homes and gardens and to cease accepting and spending funds that involve county personnel in marijuana eradication programs.
In spite of the ordinance, helicopters have continued flying most of this year. The Peaceful Sky Alliance, an organization advocating for residents under this law, have received numerous complaints from residents and based on testimony and documents supplied by police all of these missions were supported or coordinated by Hawai’i County Police personnel. One comment made by an Ocean View resident which reflects the feeling of most was, “This is like a war zone.”
Of great concern to us was a statement your Executive Assistant, Mr. Hunter Bishop made to us in a letter dated October 27, 2009 that: “Mayor Kenoi has complete confidence in the ability and desire of the Police Department to administer these law enforcement grant programs in the best interests of the County of Hawai’i and all of our residents.” We certainly don’t see that these programs are in the “best interests of the County of Hawai’i” because they are costly and take law enforcement resources away from more important matters of safety, law and order for communities on our island. We certainly don’t see that these programs are in the “best interests of residents of Hawai’i County” because they are noisy and intrusive and cause distress in our community. Further, what Mr. Bishop failed to recognize in his statement is that they are now against the law.
We are disappointed that the Department of Public Safety appears to be in open defiance of the wishes of residents. We hoped to see that as Mayor, you would direct our Police Department to stop all surveillance and eradication missions, as the law clearly requires them to do. Instead, we find that you have turned a blind eye to the continuing ‘business as usual’ attitude from our Police Department. As head of the Executive Branch of County government, it is your responsibility to ensure that all departments including the Police Department and Prosecuting Attorney are briefed as to the changes required by the ordinance. Please act now as our Mayor by declaring a Moratorium on all helicopter missions. Show the voters that you were listening when they asked for change. We would like you to honor the voter’s wishes and direct our Hawaii County Police Department to obey the law.
Enclosed is a memorandum showing that at the end of October, over $200,000 remained in the Police Department budget for marijuana eradication which is in violation of the Lowest Law Enforcement Priority of Cannabis Ordinance. These funds do not expire until January 1, 2010. When we wrote you and asked if you approved the ‘leftover funding’ from last year’s budget for marijuana eradication programs your office responded that this procedure was in fact approved by Hawai’i State Attorney General Mark Bennett. Regardless of who approved the measure, it was nothing short of a “loophole” to allow this program to be funded. Whether you or Mr. Bennett approved the funding, the fact is that it goes against the wishes of 35,000 voters.
Mayor Kenoi, we would like assurance that no more helicopters will fly using County funds and personnel. Please grant us that Moratorium before the year is out. Please let voters know that you heard that they want the helicopters to stop.
We would like to wish you and your closest associates and family a very peaceful and happy holiday season. We wish that for all residents of Hawai’i County.
Sincerely,
The Board of Peaceful Sky Alliance
Source: Peaceful Sky Alliance
Dear Mayor Kenoi,
The election of November 4, 2008 which brought you to office also recorded 35,000 votes in favor of a new county law; the Lowest Law Enforcement Priority of Cannabis Ordinance. As a result of these change in priorities the Police Department has been directed to respect the sanctity and privacy of our homes and gardens and to cease accepting and spending funds that involve county personnel in marijuana eradication programs.
In spite of the ordinance, helicopters have continued flying most of this year. The Peaceful Sky Alliance, an organization advocating for residents under this law, have received numerous complaints from residents and based on testimony and documents supplied by police all of these missions were supported or coordinated by Hawai’i County Police personnel. One comment made by an Ocean View resident which reflects the feeling of most was, “This is like a war zone.”
Of great concern to us was a statement your Executive Assistant, Mr. Hunter Bishop made to us in a letter dated October 27, 2009 that: “Mayor Kenoi has complete confidence in the ability and desire of the Police Department to administer these law enforcement grant programs in the best interests of the County of Hawai’i and all of our residents.” We certainly don’t see that these programs are in the “best interests of the County of Hawai’i” because they are costly and take law enforcement resources away from more important matters of safety, law and order for communities on our island. We certainly don’t see that these programs are in the “best interests of residents of Hawai’i County” because they are noisy and intrusive and cause distress in our community. Further, what Mr. Bishop failed to recognize in his statement is that they are now against the law.
We are disappointed that the Department of Public Safety appears to be in open defiance of the wishes of residents. We hoped to see that as Mayor, you would direct our Police Department to stop all surveillance and eradication missions, as the law clearly requires them to do. Instead, we find that you have turned a blind eye to the continuing ‘business as usual’ attitude from our Police Department. As head of the Executive Branch of County government, it is your responsibility to ensure that all departments including the Police Department and Prosecuting Attorney are briefed as to the changes required by the ordinance. Please act now as our Mayor by declaring a Moratorium on all helicopter missions. Show the voters that you were listening when they asked for change. We would like you to honor the voter’s wishes and direct our Hawaii County Police Department to obey the law.
Enclosed is a memorandum showing that at the end of October, over $200,000 remained in the Police Department budget for marijuana eradication which is in violation of the Lowest Law Enforcement Priority of Cannabis Ordinance. These funds do not expire until January 1, 2010. When we wrote you and asked if you approved the ‘leftover funding’ from last year’s budget for marijuana eradication programs your office responded that this procedure was in fact approved by Hawai’i State Attorney General Mark Bennett. Regardless of who approved the measure, it was nothing short of a “loophole” to allow this program to be funded. Whether you or Mr. Bennett approved the funding, the fact is that it goes against the wishes of 35,000 voters.
Mayor Kenoi, we would like assurance that no more helicopters will fly using County funds and personnel. Please grant us that Moratorium before the year is out. Please let voters know that you heard that they want the helicopters to stop.
We would like to wish you and your closest associates and family a very peaceful and happy holiday season. We wish that for all residents of Hawai’i County.
Sincerely,
The Board of Peaceful Sky Alliance
Source: Peaceful Sky Alliance
