Police union urges members to work despite gripes
The Oahu chapter of the state police union yesterday sent a memo to all Honolulu Police Department personnel urging them to maintain professionalism although they may be upset about the elimination of overtime pay.The memo stated that some officers have been calling in sick for court appearances.
Uniformed officers were ordered last week to take compensatory time instead of paid overtime because the police department has used up its overtime budget for the fiscal year 1997-98, which ends June 30.
"The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, Oahu Chapter is as upset and disappointed as you are with the exhaustion of the Department's overtime budget, and is expeditiously working toward some resolution if that is possible," Oahu Chapter Chairman Richard Wheeler stated in the SHOPO memo.
"It has come to our attention that a number of officers have been calling in sick to court due to the present over time/compensatory time situation. Please, ladies and gentlemen, let us not be derelict in our responsibilities as we make our way through this situation.
"We are better than that and we do have an obligation to the community."
Acting Police Chief Lee Donohue said the department has not been flooded with sick calls.
"We are looking into one court date," he said. "It's not a widespread problem."
Donohue said the memo may have been sent out "in case they get any ideas."
Many officers said they will just have to deal with the lack of overtime.
"Nobody likes to go to court on their day off," said Lt. Jerrold Perreira.
Police personnel said the overtime work is something that is required with the job.
"It's a problem," said Maj. Boisse Correa.
"We're trying to do our best with what we have. But many officers rely on the overtime."
Hackers haunt Pearl Harbor Web site; no damage done
The computer that supports the Pearl Harbor Naval Station Web site was one of 11 military systems penetrated by hackers earlier this month, the Pacific Fleet has confirmed.However, Jon Yoshishige, Pacific Fleet spokesman, today said that "no classified data was compromised and no damage was inflicted."
Yoshishige declined to say how the intrusion was detected, except that "routine procedures" were used.
"Security at the Web site as well as at all sites in the Pacific Fleet has been tightened to prevent a similar breach in the future," he said.
The Pearl Harbor Web site, which was opened Sept. 1 and has had 6,022 visits, is one of 315 maintained by the Pacific Fleet, Yoshishige said.
Its Web master is Robert Bain, and the site contains information about the naval station. It features a photo of the USS Arizona Memorial, the symbol of Pearl Harbor.
The naval station supports 50 vessels and 116 naval commands with a staff of nearly 2,000 military personnel and employees.
At other sites, the intruders appear to have entered systems with information on personnel and payrolls.
The trade publication Defense Information and Electronics Report on Feb. 13 reported that attacks had been detected during the previous week at 11 military bases -- seven Air Force sites and four Navy installations. The report identified them as Andrews Air Force Base, Md.; Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.; Lackland and Kelly Air Force bases in Texas; Gunter Annex, Ala.; Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.; and an Air National Guard facility in Channel Islands, Calif.
Besides Pearl Harbor, the Navy sites were the Naval Academy and two Marine Corps systems in Okinawa, Japan.
Suspect in hammering death psychotic, psychiatrist says
A man who allegedly killed a Burger King customer May 10 with a hammer had a psychotic disorder in which he believed the customer was part of a satanic conspiracy, a psychiatrist for the defense says.Dr. Arnold Golden, one of a three-member panel to mentally evaluate Monte Young, yesterday testified that Young's disorder may have been triggered by a brain hemorrhage a few weeks before the attack.
Golden also said Young's ability to know his conduct was wrong or to change it was substantially impaired, meeting a definition that relieves him of legal responsibility for his actions.
Golden said he reached his diagnosis after interviewing Young and reviewing numerous reports, including those from the police and prison.
Young, accused of second-degree murder in the May 10 hammering death of 44-year-old Manoa resident Paul Ulbrich at the University Avenue Burger King, is in custody.
But the state alleges that Young's illegal drug use triggered his psychosis, removing him from legal protection. If convicted as charged, he faces life in prison with parole.
Army to decide whether to court-martial slaying suspect
The Army will hold a hearing tomorrow to determine if Sgt. Jose Luis Rodriguez will be court-martialed for allegedly killing his wife in January.The body of his 22-year-old wife, Angela, was found in the family car at about 1:30 a.m. Jan. 5 at Puu O Mahuka Heau in Pupukea.
Rodriguez had been married for 3-1/2 years and the couple had two children. Angela was a 1993 graduate of Moanalua High School, and the couple married the year she graduated.
Honolulu police investigators said Rodriguez, who listed his hometown as Los Angeles, confessed to killing his wife.
It will be up to an Army Schofield Barracks investigating officer conducting the Article 32 hearing, which is similar to a civilian preliminary hearing, to determine whether a court-martial will be held.
Rodriguez is charged with premediated murder. Army prosecutors could seek the death penalty if Rodriguez is found guilty of killing his wife. He is now being held in the Navy brig at Ford Island.
Council urges mayor to give Sid more to do
City Council members say Mayor Jeremy Harris should give Sid Fernandez a permanent job and more responsibilities if the administration wants the former professional baseball pitcher to lead the city's sports marketing effort.Fernandez is getting paid $50,000 annually from a personal services contract with the Building Department to find sponsors and users for the city's sports complexes in Waiola and Waipio.
His official title is executive assistant to the mayor.
Councilwoman Donna Mercado Kim said she wants Fernandez to start documenting his work after being told by the former major league all-star that he had no written reports to show the Council. Fernandez said his work to date has been "all verbal."
"I can tell you right now that Sid has saved the city millions of dollars," said Budget Director Malcolm Tom. He did not elaborate.
Blood bank needs O-positive, O-negative
Supplies of O-positive and O-negative blood are critically low, the Blood Bank of Hawaii reports, urging residents to give "the gift of life."Winnie Mokiao, director of donor and communications services, said it's been extremely difficult getting people to donate because of the cold and flu season.
"Because there is no substitute for human blood, it is imperative that donors come in so transfusion needs of Hawaii's patients are met," she said.
Potential donors should be healthy and weigh at least 110 pounds. They should be 18 and older, although 17-year-olds may donate with signed parental consent. Photo identification is requested. For more information, call 845-9966.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffThree men accused of jewelry theft
Police yesterday arrested three men for allegedly stealing a ring from a Kalakaua Avenue jeweler.One suspect distracted the salesperson at Dale Cripps Jewelers at 2 p.m. as the others removed the ring from the display counter, police said. The suspects then sold the ring to another jeweler in the same complex. The suspects were all released pending an investigation.
Four men arrested in police sex sting
Police last night arrested four men in Waikiki for reportedly soliciting sex from an undercover officer posing as a prostitute.The arrests were of a 20-year-old military man, a 52-year-old Georgia man, a 38-year-old Iowa man and a 26-year-old Iwilei man, police said. The men were arrested on Kalakaua Avenue.
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