Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds to purchase the old grey hound facility near the airport to relocate and consolidate the operations of the sheriff division.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the department of public safety's sheriff division provides law enforcement services for the State, executive protection for the legislature, governor, lieutenant governor and their families, and government officials and employees. The sheriff division also provides emergency terrorist and all-disaster response and support services. These services are essential and critical to the health and safety of the community and the economic stability, protection, and justice for the State.

Recently, the division was evicted from their office space at the district court on Alakea street and has become extremely fragmented and segregated in its operations. The division was forced to divide its administrative services, warrants, records, supply, and administrator sections into five separate locations within a three-mile radius.

The current situation has forced the division to relocate:

These locations were assigned without any consideration for efficiency, office automation, communications, or consistency in operational requirements and office space was acquired by any means possible.

No other government agency or business in the private sector operates under these unbearable circumstances, and is expected to accomplish their mission effectively.

Division administrative functions may take days or weeks to complete because of delays caused by the physical distance between sections. The filing of warrants from the judiciary to various division sections is delayed. Also, inventory management is compounded by unnecessary delays while awaiting approvals, and office automation and communication are often confusing due to the distances between critical operations.

The situation has also negatively impacted operations of other government agencies. The location of the armory has raised concerns regarding weapons and ammunition storage from other building occupants and neighbors. Traffic and safety concerns have been elevated at the state capitol while police, sheriffs, and other law enforcement personnel arrive to pick-up original warrants (a requirement of the law) before booking (normally the arrested person waits in the vehicle during this process). The situation has also increased after-hours activity at other government buildings.

The division is experiencing other problems with management control, supervision of personnel, training, and other operational requirements that have been stymied due to travel time and parking problems from one location to another.

The legislature also finds that the renovation of unoccupied buildings and property off Lagoon drive at the old Grey Hound facility near the airport would resolve the division's housing problems. This facility is located on airport property and would enable the division to properly consolidate its operations, provide management control, and improve office automation and communication. The location is relatively isolated and reasonably close to downtown Honolulu, which makes this site perfect for sheriff division operations.

The purpose of this Act is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds to purchase the old Grey Hound facility near the airport to relocate and consolidate the operations of the sheriff division.

SECTION 2. The director of finance is authorized to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of $2,815,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the purpose of purchasing the old Grey Hound facility near the airport to relocate and consolidate the operations of the sheriff division of the department of public safety. The funds shall be expended as follows:

Design $  175,000

Construction 2,200,000

Equipment   440,000

Total cost $2,815,000

SECTION 3. The appropriation made for the capital improvement project authorized by this Act shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal biennium for which the appropriation is made; provided that all moneys from the appropriation unencumbered as of June 30, 2008, shall lapse as of that date.

SECTION 4. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of public safety for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.