HPD defends Honolulu police vice officers went undercover for three weeks at a Kakaako strip club -- but not because they enjoy hanging out in those bars. "We did it to save families and protect the future," said Darryl Perry, NarcoticsVice commander.
strip club stakeoutPolice say undercover visits
are necessary to curb prostitutionBy Nelson Daranciang
ndaranciang@starbulletin.com"It's not a great assignment. How would you like it if your wife tells you, 'Where you gonna go?' (And you respond) 'I'm going to a strip bar,'" Perry said.
Vice officers do undercover investigations of strip bars because of complaints from the public and the Honolulu Liquor Commission concerning prostitution, especially if it involves juveniles, said Perry.
An investigation at Exotic Nights strip club at 909 Halekauwila St. culminated last Friday in the arrest of 10 women for prostitution. All are employees of the club.
There were no reports of juveniles working at Exotic Nights, he said, but there were reports of drug activity.
Police recovered two ounces of methamphetamine, Perry said.
Undercover officers make repeated visits to an establishment to determine whether prostitution violations are one-time occurrences or a continuing activity, Perry said. Arrests are not made on the spot, when a violation occurs, to protect the identity of the undercover officers, he said.
Perry's comments were in response to the May 19 Honolulu Star-Bulletin "Raising Cane" column questioning police methods like repeat visits to bars to gather "evidence" and the storming of bars by masked officers who take pictures of employees and customers.
Perry also responded to comments by Gov. Ben Cayetano that he wishes police would spend more time going after drug pushers and other criminals.
"It's a tough job. It's not easy. But they're committed to do it because they look at our youth as the future. I wish we could spend more time doing this type of investigation," Perry said.
Under Hawaii law, any act that involves "sexual contact," even through clothing, like lap dances, in exchange for money is prostitution. Perry said police arrested the women at Exotic Nights for solicitation.
In the past 2 1/2 years, Honolulu police have arrested 141 people for prostitution at 23 bars on Oahu. Twenty-one were minors, Perry said.
Commercial exploitation of juveniles is a major problem in Hawaii, said Lorraine Faithful, executive director of Sisters Offering Support, a prostitution intervention organization.