Police tweak operations to
help fund pay raises

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Star-Bulletin

The Honolulu Police Department will fund raises for its officers by delaying the start of cellblock operations at its new Kapolei station by about a month.

Police Maj. Gordon Young told the City Council Budget Committee yesterday that the department should not have any problems funding the raises, which will cost the city $1.19 million this fiscal year.

"I think it will have a very slight impact," Young said.

He noted that this year's increase is only a three-quarter of 1 percent bump in the department's $123 million salary budget.

The department will end up delaying the hire of about 60 positions, he said.

All the delayed hires will be either unfilled civilian clerical or other nonessential positions or sworn positions assigned to desk duties.

A majority of those positions will be from the new Kapolei station's receiving desk, which handles booking, cellblock and related matters, Young said.

Police previously stated that the start-up of receiving desk operations would need to be delayed six months to find enough money to fund the raises.

The station is slated to open in late December and will be the headquarters for District 8, which encompasses Kapolei, Ewa, Makakilo and the Waianae Coast.

Young is transferring from his position as head of the Finance Division to take over command of District 8.

Other operations at the new station, slated to open in January, will begin on schedule, he said.

The department also hopes to achieve some savings for the raises by cutting back on overtime, Young said.

The raises are part of a four-year contract decided by arbitrators last month.

City Human Resources Director Sandra Ebesu estimated the total package will cost the city $26.8 million. Here's the breakdown:

In 2001, the city will need to come up with $4.7 million;

In 2002, $7.1 million;

In 2003, $13.9 million.