New chief presents
his vision for future

Police Chief Boisse Correa's
ideas include increasing the ranks

Boisse Correa: He says he wants to return to an "old school" policy on conferences

Honolulu Police Chief Boisse Correa's new vision for fighting crime on Oahu includes placing surveillance cameras in public parks, increasing the number of police officers on the street and having a department that is "as open as possible."

That last part about openness, however, did not include allowing reporters' television cameras and tape recorders at his news conference yesterday. When asked why he would not want recording devices present, Correa stated that he wanted to return to the "old school" ways of doing things, when reporters took notes from police with ink and paper, then set up on-camera and/or tape-recorded interviews later if they wanted clarification or more details.

"Usually when you bring in the cameras, we can't answer all the questions we really want," Correa said during his first news conference since he was named chief on Aug. 26.

What ends up happening instead, Correa said, is reporters pick and choose their own sound bites and quotes and end up "dictating to HPD how to do the story" or "take different potshots at the chief."

That news conference philosophy was the only thing "old school" about Correa's vision for the Police Department. He described a number of changes for the future involving the department and how it interacts with the community.

Some of those changes include concentrating on certain crimes more intensely in some areas of Oahu by asking the Prosecutor's Office to help keep criminals behind bars after they are arrested. One example Correa gave was a pilot project in the District 3 area -- which includes Pearl City, Halawa Valley and Waipahu -- that charges everyone arrested for auto theft instead of releasing them while detectives investigate the crime.

HPD officials said since implementing the enhanced charging criteria in the district, auto thefts have dropped to 1,444 between July 2003 and June 2004 from 1,819 between July 2002 and June 2003.

"Everyone we catch, we charge in Pearl City," he said. "We've lowered auto thefts by 20 percent in that area."

Correa said by concentrating on particular problems in certain areas, and by making sure criminals are not let out to commit more crimes after they are arrested, he feels the community will see better results in the long run. Correa also cited the focus on traffic violations in Windward Oahu and property crime in East Oahu.

"What's important for each community?" he said. "What is each community's priority?"

"We pick our battles, attack it vigorously and sustain it."

Another goal is to increase the total number to an average of three officers per every 1,000 Oahu residents, Correa said. HPD currently has 2.2 officers per 1,000 residents.

To do that, Correa stressed police officers need better pay to stay in Hawaii. Former Chief Lee Donohue often said the same thing.

"Don't get me wrong ... we've just gotten a pay raise," Correa said, "but our officers need to be compensated."

HPD is also looking at placing surveillance cameras in public parks, with special attention to scenic lookouts, where auto theft and break-ins -- particularly of rental cars -- have proved to be a problem.

"We would use them for investigation and deterrence," he said.

Correa also wants to increase police presence in East Oahu with a new substation. He also wants to replace the police substation in Waianae with a new building.

"The Waianae station is obsolete," said Correa. "It's in a flood zone."