Kokua Line

By Gregg K. Kakesako

Saturday, March 29, 1997

Court order is needed
to put a trace on calls

One of my neighbors called the Humane Society about a barking dog. The owner thought I did and threatened to put a trace on my phone calls since he works for the phone company. Can he do that? Who can I call to report this threat?

You should first report this threat to the Honolulu Police Department and file a complaint. Your neighbor cannot, even if he works for the phone company, place a trace on your calls without a court order. Cal Tadaki, spokesman for GTE Hawaiian Tel, says even the police need a court order when they ask the phone company to put a trace on a phone line.