Police union head
calls for Donohue,
deputies to resign

Oahu Chairman Alex Garcia
says he will ask for a vote of no
confidence for Chief Lee Donohue

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By Nelson Daranciang
ndaranciang@starbulletin.com

The chairman of the Oahu chapter of the police union is calling on Honolulu Police Chief Lee Donohue and all of his deputy and assistant chiefs to step down.

Alex Garcia said he is also going to ask the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers board for authorization to conduct a vote of confidence for Donohue.

Garcia's call comes after an Oahu grand jury indictment Thursday of two high-ranking Honolulu police officers.

Assistant Chief Rafael Fajardo Jr., 59, and Maj. Jeffrey Owens, 50, are accused of spending money allocated for prisoner meals on rack of lamb, prime rib and other meals for police officers.

The theft allegedly occurred between 1995 and 2000 when Fajardo and Owens were commanders in charge of the Honolulu police receiving desk and cellblock.

Donohue acknowledges eating some of those meals but said he did not know how they were paid for.

Fajardo, left, and Owens.

"If you don't know where it came from, you're naive; you shouldn't be in command," Garcia said. "If you do know what happened or where it came from, you should not be in command. Either way, he should step down until this is clear, or he should just go on his merry way and retire."

Former Police Chief Michael Nakamura also acknowledges eating meals at the receiving desk but said he, too, did not know how they were paid for.

Garcia believes other top HPD brass also ate meals paid for by the cellblock food fund during command meetings.

Mayor Jeremy Harris and Honolulu Police Commission Vice Chairman Cha Thompson are cautioning people against rushing to judgment, and point out that Fajardo and Owens are innocent until proven guilty.

"But of course we're disappointed that this has occurred. It's a big disappointment," Harris said.

"It's painful for us when officers of this level are indicted," Thompson said. "It's very disturbing."

Harris said the incident has not shaken his confidence in the Police Department, which he calls the best in the United States.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Alex Garcia, Oahu chairman of SHOPO, the police union, spoke to
journalists yesterday about the police food scandal.

Thompson said the Police Commission was informed of the investigation months ago. She said Donohue at that time also told commissioners that he may have unwittingly eaten some of the food in question.

She said the commission will wait to get more facts before making any decision on Donohue. Its next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 5.

"Let the chips fall where they may when we get all the facts," Thompson said.

Owens turned himself in at 11 p.m. Thursday at Honolulu District Court. Fajardo turned himself in at 10 a.m. yesterday.

Each is charged with one count of second-degree theft. Owens will be arraigned in Circuit Court on Monday. Fajardo will be arraigned Thursday.

Both have been stripped of their supervisory positions and police powers.

Garcia also accuses Donohue of applying a double standard by waiting until Fajardo and Owens were indicted before taking action against them.

"If any other officer in the Police Department had been accused or under investigation for a theft second (degree) like these two commanders were, he would have been relieved of his duties and reassigned," Garcia said. "These people were allowed to maintain their authority, and who knows what they continued to do during this time and during the investigation."