Police probe not
hurt by chief’s
delay, panel says

Chief Lee Donohue "acted
properly" in the food funds inquiry

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By Nelson Daranciang
ndaranciang@starbulletin.com

It took two weeks for Honolulu Police Chief Lee Donohue to assign an investigator to a case that involved improper food purchases at the main station's cellblock, but the Honolulu Police Commission does not believe the delay affected the investigation, said commission Chairman Leonard K.P. Leong.

"It was a delay, but we don't think it compromised the situation," Leong said.

The commission reached that conclusion at its meeting last Wednesday, Leong said. The meeting was not open to the public.

In a written release announcing its findings yesterday, the commission said, "Donohue and his command personnel acted properly in their initiation of the internal investigation and the assignment of the criminal investigation."

However, in future sensitive and high-profile cases, the commission is requiring investigators to be assigned within 48 hours. Commissioners also want to be informed of such cases within 48 hours.

An Oahu grand jury indicted Assistant Chief Rafael Fajardo and Maj. Jeffrey Owens on theft charges alleging that they misappropriated funds intended for prisoner meals to purchase food for police officers, including higher-ups. Both pleaded not guilty.

At a Sept. 5 meeting, retired Maj. Gordon Young told the commissioners that Donohue assigned an investigator two weeks after he had filed a complaint of possible wrongdoing by high-ranking officials last Oct. 30.

Leong said the commission confirmed Young's account. But he said minutes from its Nov. 1 meeting also confirmed Donohue's claim that he reported the incident to commissioners the day after Young's initial complaint.

Also at the Sept. 5 meeting, Young said the investigator was assigned just a few hours before a television station was about to report the case.

Donohue said the particular investigator Young requested was out of town Nov. 1-8 and could not work on the case right away.

Donohue refused comment on the commission's findings. Young could not be reached for comment.