STAND. COM. REP. NO. 347

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 9

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 9 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Public Safety to seek and obtain accreditation for the Sheriff Division from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., no later than December 1, 2014.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one state department and twenty-five individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

     The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., created in 1979, serves as a law enforcement credentialing authority through collaboration with law enforcement executive associations.  The Honolulu and Maui Police Departments are both accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc.  Your Committee finds that law enforcement officers, such as those in the Sheriff Division, have tremendous responsibilities, making the receipt of proper training, equipment, and organizational support imperative.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Public Safety to report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2012 on its progress in seeking accreditation pursuant to section 2 of this measure;

     (2)  Requiring the report to the Legislature to include a description of the accreditation process and any problems or deficiencies that the Department has encountered or may encounter in obtaining the accreditation; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 9, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 9, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs,

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair