STAND. COM. REP. NO. 278

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 997

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 997 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR A CITIZENS POLICE TRAINING PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to increase public safety.

     Specifically, this measure makes an appropriation of an unspecified sum for each year of the 2007-2009 fiscal biennium as a grant-in-aid to the City and County of Honolulu for a citizens' police training program to be conducted at least once a year on Oahu.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Honolulu Police Department.

     Your Committee finds that volunteer training and the cooperation of local residents are important elements in a law enforcement agency's ability to succeed in reducing and preventing drug and crime problems.  The Citizens Police Academy Program conducted by the Honolulu Police Department is an effective program that educates concerned community residents about firearms, police communications, report writing, vehicle operations, domestic violence, crime scene investigation, and community policing.  Citizens who participate in this kind of training become active in their neighborhood, providing a valuable resource to their local police departments. 

     Your Committee further finds that such training programs should be made available to communities across Oahu.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 997 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair