Police panel
pushes resignationCommission member
Leonard Leong has pleaded
no contest to a misdemeanor
Six Honolulu Police Commission members say they want member Leonard Leong to resign because his admission of making an illegal political donation could tarnish the disciplinary board's reputation.
"It puts us in an awkward position ... (because) we sit in judgment of police officers who are accused of misconduct," Police Commission Chairman Ron Taketa said after the board's closed-door executive session yesterday afternoon at police headquarters.
"I think it affects the integrity of the commission, and I think it needs to be addressed at some point."
But Leong, who pleaded no contest Tuesday to a misdemeanor charge of making a false-name contribution to Mayor Jeremy Harris' campaign, said he has not decided whether to resign.
The commissioners "acknowledged that my performance has been satisfactory, but they were concerned about the public perception," Leong said after the meeting.
"I think that people need to realize that campaign donations have nothing to do with my ability to judge or render a decision on the Police Commission."
Leong, a vice president with Royal Contracting Co., was fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $50 to the state Crime Victim Compensation Fund for contributing funds to the Harris campaign under his sister's name.
Harris appointed Leong to the seven-member commission in 1996 and reappointed him in 2001.
Half of yesterday's two-hour commission meeting was spent talking about Leong's offense, Taketa said, adding that the board does not have the power to oust a commissioner.
Taketa said he has received almost 40 e-mails or calls from residents asking for Leong's resignation.
"We're all concerned with this violation, and we've all expressed our opinions to Leonard," he said.
Leong said that despite the board's strong push for his resignation, he has no plans to make an immediate decision on whether to leave the board.
The city Department of the Corporation Counsel has told Leong that he is not required to resign because the crime was only a misdemeanor.
Neither Taketa nor city spokeswoman Carol Costa knew of a provision that allowed for the removal of a commission member.
Harris, who is in Greece on speaking engagements until Wednesday, was unavailable for comment yesterday.
The commission is a voluntary board that investigates charges brought by the public against police officers and has the authority to hire and fire the police chief. Police commissioners are recommended by the mayor and approved by the City Council.
Meanwhile, Leong is part of an investigation into city Managing Director Ben Lee's receipt of historic city curbstones at his Punchbowl district home from Leong's company, Royal Contracting. Leong and Lee have said the curbstones had no value, but have since returned them to the city.
