Gov warns state Gov. Ben Cayetano said he is disturbed and embarrassed by recent escapes from Oahu prisons, and said if prison managers cannot handle the job, he will find people who can.
prison managers
over security
Quick captures are not enough,
Cayetano says; he may step inBy Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin"I'm very upset that management in our prisons seems to be very, very lax, and I have expressed this opinion to (Public Safety Director) Ted Sakai," the governor said yesterday.
"Someone just joked to me that maybe we should put out a sign, 'Careful, Prisoners Crossing,' out there on Dillingham Boulevard," he said.
Sakai could not be reached for comment yesterday afternoon. Earlier this week, he said the problem is an overflowing inmate population that numbered 5,048, and that something must be done. One suggestion was increasing the number of inmates on furlough.
On Wednesday, three inmates escaped from Oahu Community Correctional Center. One inmate, Kerbert Silva, 37, had escaped from the same facility in January.
Although all were captured later that day, Cayetano said someone could have been hurt or killed.
In a separate escape this week, an inmate who walked away from the Laumaka work facility was caught after he crashed his car in front of the main station of the Honolulu Police Department.
The governor said state prison officials need to do better, and if they do not, he is going to make some changes. There are managers in the department who have worked long enough there to understand the system's weaknesses and strengths and to recommend to the state administration any remedial action, he said.
"The regulations that we have in place, the rules and the procedures, are sound as far as I know," Cayetano said.
"What has not been sound is the way they have been executed. And if sergeants don't execute or if wardens don't execute or a director doesn't execute, then maybe some changes need to be made."
Cayetano did not want to speculate if Sakai's job was on the line, but noted that he does not fire too many people.
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