Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Thursday, November 4, 1999

Millennium Moments

First fingerprints were
'thumb marks'

SOME 38 years after it was pioneered in India by William Herschel, fingerprinting for identification purposes came to Hawaii.

In 1896, the Legislature's Act 13 required all male residents of the republic, age 15 and older, to register with the government and provide a "thumb mark," says "Firsts and Almost Firsts in Hawaii" by Robert C. Schmitt. Less than two months later, though, the law was repealed.

Local police probably started fingerprinting criminals soon after 1917, the year the territorial Legislature passed Act 178 "to provide for the establishment of systems for the identification of criminals," Schmitt says.

In August 1990, a computerized fingerprint-matching database, the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, was installed at the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center.

Auditor: Management lacking at UH ed school

The state auditor has issued a follow-up audit that says the College of Education of the University of Hawaii showed some improvement -- particularly in focusing on its primary functions of instruction, research and service.

But the college continues to fall short of satisfactory management, the auditor's office said.

The college still lacks a coordinated evaluation process, and responsibility over evaluations remains unclear, according to the auditor's office. Also, evaluations are conducted irregularly and unsystematically, it said.

Based on December 1995-May 1999 data, the new audit recommends the college provide adequate guidance for its program development process by establishing written policies and procedures, resolving governance issues and ensuring all new program proposals provide required information, and conduct a comprehensive impact assessment of field-based programs.

HECO to give trees away for Arbor Day

Hawaiian Electric Co. will celebrate Arbor Day by giving away 2,200 trees and ornamental shrubs Saturday beginning at 7:30 a.m.

Trees will be given out in Waianae at the Kahe power plant, 89-900 Farrington Highway; in Pearl City at the Urban Garden Center, 962 Second St.; in Honolulu at HECO's midtown facility, 820 Ward Ave.; and in Kailua at HECO's Koolau base yard, 1387 Ulupii St.

For more information, call 672-3383 or 672-5167.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

Officer dragged by driver in two crashes, chase

A man was arrested yesterday after leading police on a 40-minute chase from Fort DeRussy to Kaimuki, which resulted in two crashes and the dragging of an officer.

The suspect, 39, was spotted driving recklessly near Kalia and Maluhia roads near the Hilton Hawaiian Village at 4:12 p.m., police said.

He refused to pull over and sped away from an officer.

Shortly after, the driver was involved in a crash at 2452 Kalakaua Ave., near the Waikiki Beach police station.

When patrol officer Brad Heatherly responded, the suspect attacked him, police said.

The two struggled as the suspect got back into his car.

Heatherly tried using pepper spray, but the man grabbed his arm and drove away -- dragging Heatherly about two car lengths before letting him go, according to a police report. Heatherly dropped to the ground.

The suspect continued to Sunset and Kilauea avenues in Kaimuki, where he was involved in another crash.

He abandoned his incapacitated vehicle and ran away, but the suspect was apprehended at 4:53 p.m. after another tussle with officers.

Police said the man, who lives in the 2700 block of Kapiolani Boulevard, faces several charges including first-degree attempted murder, kidnapping, assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and refusing to stop.

Officer Heatherly was later treated for his injuries and released.

Three in fair condition after Nanakuli pileup

A six-car crash paralyzed rush-hour traffic this morning on the Leeward Coast and seriously injured three people.

A 36-year-old woman, 9-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy were airlifted to Queen's Hospital, police said.

They were upgraded to fair condition by midmorning.

The pileup happened just before 7 a.m. in the town-bound lanes of Farrington Highway in Nanakuli, police said. But Waianae-bound lanes were also closed while traffic investigators examined the scene.

All lanes were opened at 10:20 a.m.

Waikiki pedestrian hit; woman driver arrested

A 55-year-old man was hospitalized after he was struck by a suspected drunken driver early this morning while crossing a street in Waikiki.

The pedestrian was crossing Kuhio Avenue near Kanekapolei Street. He was inside a crosswalk when he was hit by a 1998 Nissan at 12:01 a.m., police said. The driver, a 26-year-old woman, fled.

She later was stopped by patrol units and arrested for investigation of hit-and-run and drunken driving.

The pedestrian was taken to Queen's Hospital with a broken arm and leg.