Oahu slayings
rose in 1997

But robberies and car
thefts continued to decline

By Jaymes Song
Star-Bulletin

The number of homicides on Oahu rose in 1997 compared with the year before, while robberies and auto thefts continued to decline.

Thirty-five people were slain last year compared with 27 in 1996, which was the lowest total in a decade. The average number of homicides over the past 10 years is 33.2.

Lt. Allen Napoleon, head of the homicide detail, believes more domestic cases may have contributed to the increase.

---

---

Although police departments at major cities are reporting the lowest murder rate in decades, retired Police Chief Michael Nakamura said other things should be considered.

"Compared to the number of people, we're very safe here," Nakamura said.

"National crime rates are going down and Hawaii's going up, but those are just rates. You have to look at the sheer numbers."

According to the FBI, Hawaii is consistently in the bottom 10 in murders when compared to the rest of the nation.

In 1996, 3.4 per 100,000 people were murdered in Hawaii. The number is comparable to rates found in Utah (3.2) and Wyoming (3.3).

Vermont ranked the lowest with 1.9.

The highest rates were in Washington, D.C. (73.1), Maryland (11.6) and Illinois (10.0).

"It gives you an idea how safe and how really different we are from other jurisdictions," Nakamura said.

Police criminal investigation officials said robberies and auto thefts on Oahu are dropping because of a "proactive" enforcement approach and assistance from the federal government.

According to the Honolulu Police Department's Research and Development Division, auto thefts are down 13 percent in 1997 when compared with 1996, and robberies down 11 percent.

"I like to think it's good ol' fashion police work," said Lt. Cliff Takesono, head of the robbery detail. "But I think more people are getting locked up."

Takesono said the Hobbs Act, a federal criminal statute which allows federal prosecution of crimes affecting interstate commerce, has cut the number of purse-snatchings.

Lt. Alan Anami, head of the auto theft detail, credits several elements to the decline of criminal activity.

Federal grants allowed him to hire one more detective and put more resources into the long-

term investigations, Anami said. Police also are getting "aggressive prosecution," he said.

"The police can't do everything; the community has to do its part," he added. "This means to protect yourself and look out for auto thieves."