RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, in 1986, the New York City Police Department established the "Combat Auto Theft" (CAT) program to help reduce motor vehicle theft in the city; and

WHEREAS, the CAT program was a voluntary program that consisted of large decals applied to the rear side windows of the car authorizing the police to stop the vehicle, based on no other probable cause, if the vehicle was being driven between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., prime time for car thieves; and

WHEREAS, the program was successful in reducing auto theft and spread to numerous jurisdictions, including those in California, Arizona, Oregon, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Florida; and

WHEREAS, the federal government recognized the value of this program by adopting it, renaming it the "Watch Your Cars" program, and making grants to states who want to implement this program; and

WHEREAS, automobile theft is a serious problem in Hawaii, especially in Honolulu, and a program like Watch Your Cars could prove beneficial in controlling auto theft in this State; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, the Senate concurring, that the Attorney General is requested to apply for a grant for the Watch Your Cars program in the next possible funding cycle, and the chiefs of police are requested to adopt the Watch Your Cars program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Attorney General and to the Chief of Police of each county.