Q: Are police officers paid overtime to man police roadblocks? Police DUI roadblocks
funded in various waysA: Sometimes.
"There are times when we have federal funds to set up the DUI roadblocks," said Honolulu Police Department spokeswoman Jean Motoyama. Those federal funds can be used to pay for overtime, if necessary, and are not part of HPD's regular budget, she said.
"Other times, it depends on manpower," she said. "They'll do it with regular staffing and regular pay. Some districts use their community policing teams, at regular staffing and pay, or use their own funds for overtime."
Q: What are the rules about which way you should be parking on the street? I live in Makakilo and there are always parked cars pointed in the opposite direction of the traffic. Also, there are cars that park on the sidewalk. What are the rules on this?
A: Sec. 15-13.5 of the Traffic Code states: "Upon any roadway within a business or residence district, no person shall stand or park a vehicle other than parallel with the edge of the roadway, headed in the direction of traffic and with the curb-side wheels of the vehicle within 12 inches of the edge of the roadway, except while parked wholly within stalls marked or designated xxx "
Regarding sidewalks, Sec. 15-14.2 states: "No person shall stand or park any vehicle in such a manner that any portion of such vehicle obstructs the sidewalk or portion thereof."
Call police at 911 if you see a violation of either section.
However, police do make a distinction between paved and unpaved sidewalks. They will not cite violators for parking on unpaved sidewalks unless vehicles completely block the pedestrian right of way, based on past court decisions.
In response to the Feb. 13 item about who is responsible for the University of Hawaii's new student weight room, Curtis Tsuruda, the UH's former head strength coordinator, and two other Kokua Line readers believe the credit should at least be shared. Who's responsible?
The UH athletic department sticks by its original response that Alexander C. Waterhouse, for whom the facility is named, is "responsible," since he donated the $300,000 needed to buy equipment, said spokeswoman Lois Manin.
As for whose idea it was, Hugh Yoshida, as athletic director, "would be responsible for the idea," she said.
"Yes, Alex Waterhouse donated the money," e-mailed Tsuruda, assistant strength and conditioning coordinator at Louisiana State University, "but it was yours truly who ordered all the equipment, had the logos put upon the wall, came up with the customized weightlifting belt, had the room named after Mr. Waterhouse, designed the customized 45-lb. plate and I did it, 'all by myself.'"
He added, "I guess you could look at it like a movie. Mr. Waterhouse was the producer and I was the director."
Among the many people Tsuruda suggested calling to verify this was Kale Ane, also a former UH strength coordinator and now a scout for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Many people in the athletic department helped to make the weight room a reality, Ane said.
"I think everybody realized the need for a new facility," he said. "The opportunity came through Alec and, yes, Curtis did most of the leg work and ground work."
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