Security lacking at Nearly five years after a burglary suspect walked into Ewa District Court with a pipe bomb, the state Judiciary has installed a walk-through metal detector and an X-ray machine to screen people entering the building.
rural Oahu courthouses
Installation of security equipment
must wait for needed renovationBy Nelson Daranciang
ndaranciang@starbulletin.comHowever, there is no timetable for installing the same equipment in three other rural Oahu courthouses.
"We'd like to hook them up as soon as we can," said Walter Ozawa, administrative director of the courts.
Except for the Ewa District Court, none of the rural Oahu courthouses were designed to be courts, and the buildings must undergo renovation to accommodate the X-ray machine, Ozawa said.
"In Wahiawa the back door has to be changed to a fire door," said Jean Yamane, District Court administrator. "In Waianae we're working with the landlord for improvements."
There is no plan to install the equipment in the existing Kaneohe District Court on Kahuhipa Street, because they will be put into the new Kaneohe courthouse to be built near Kaneohe District Park off Kahekili Highway, Ozawa said.
However, not having the security equipment installed yet does not mean the rural courthouses are without security, Ozawa said.
State Department of Public Safety deputy sheriffs and private security guards provided by Wackenhut offer security at rural Oahu courthouses, Ozawa said, and the Judiciary provides both with hand-held metal detectors.
"Our preference is for full-time, trained sheriffs," Yamane said, but there are not enough available to meet security needs.
The Judiciary began taking delivery of walk-through metal detectors, or magnetometers, in 1996 but did not put them in operation because it did not have staff to operate them. They cost about $2,000 each. Last October, it got two X-ray machines -- one for Wahiawa and the other for Ewa -- for $30,000 each.
"The complete security system (at Ewa) was put into operation in November 2001, which includes the magnetometer and X-ray machine," said Glennard Fong, Ewa District Court administrator.
Meanwhile, the X-ray machine for the Wahiawa District Court is sitting in the lobby.
Security at the rural courthouses was brought into focus on Dec. 23, 1996, when police arrested a burglary suspect leaving the Ewa courthouse after appearing in court for a spouse-abuse charge.
Police said after his arrest, the man handed a bag to his father. The father opened the bag at his Salt Lake Boulevard home later in the day and discovered a 6- to 9-inch-long aluminum pipe capped at both ends. The bomb exploded when the father tried to unscrew one of the caps, damaging his right hand and fingers.
The Judiciary has stopped scheduling cases believed to have a potential for violence at the rural courthouses.
"We used to do TROs (temporary restraining orders) in the district court," Yamane said. "We handle those only in Honolulu because of security concerns."
And whenever the staff expresses concern for potential violence, more security is called, she said.
With increased security, Ozawa eventually wants the rural Oahu District Courts to handle all types of cases, including jury trials.
Hawaii State Judiciary
