Police say station’s spot
not a factor for safety
The controversy over the new East Honolulu police station being located at Fort Ruger is rooted apparently in residents' feeling of security, Honolulu police say.
"I think you have a feeling that there's a great deal more safety because there's a building there that's full of people coming and going," said Assistant Chief Karl Godsey. "That's a perception thing rather than a reality thing."
East Honolulu is the only police district without its own station.
The East Honolulu police station was originally slated for the Hawaii Kai Park and Ride on Keahole Street.
But the decision to put the police station at the state-owned National Guard Armory at Fort Ruger on 22nd Avenue in Kaimuki has disappointed Hawaii Kai residents and elated some Kaimuki residents.
Residents were concerned that having the police station outside the neighborhood could mean police would take longer to respond to their calls.
But Godsey said no matter where the station is located, the ability for police to respond to calls should not be affected because officers are assigned to patrol in those areas and that will not change with a new station.
The station would be a gathering point for officers at the change of each shift.
"Once they come to line up and get the information for the day, they go to their respective (patrol) areas," Godsey said.
Godsey said duties such as report writing most likely would not take officers away from their patrol areas.
"Unless it's a very unusual circumstance, they would be writing (reports) in their cars, and at the end of the watch, they would take that report and turn it in to their sergeant or turn it in at the station," Godsey said.
Godsey said that having the station in Kaimuki is a "favorable geographic location" because it would be more central than in Hawaii Kai. But it is not known exactly what functions will be at the station because negotiations are still under way with the state, which is looking to relocate National Guard operations to Kalaeloa.