STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1131

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 196

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 196 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO IMPLEMENT A FITNESS TRAINING REGIMEN FOR STATE SHERIFFS AND ADULT CORRECTIONS OFFICERS, MANDATE ALL SHERIFFS AND ADULT CORRECTIONS OFFICERS TO REGULARLY PERFORM IN ACCORDANCE WITH MINIMUM FITNESS STANDARDS DURING SERVICE IN PUBLIC FIELD DUTY, AND ANNUALLY TEST STATE SHERIFFS AND ADULT CORRECTIONS OFFICERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Department of Public Safety to:

     (1)  Implement a fitness training regimen for State Sheriffs and Adult Corrections Officers;

     (2)  Mandate all Sheriffs and Adult Corrections Officers to regularly perform in accordance with minimum fitness standards during service in public field duty; and

     (3)  Annually test the physical fitness of State Sheriffs and Adult Corrections Officers.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the health and fitness of State Sheriffs and Adult Corrections Officers are especially imperative for public well-being because these professionals shoulder the responsibilities of physically managing inmates with violent histories whose disruptive behavior, if inadequately restrained, could pose risks to themselves, staff, other inmates, and institutional order.  This measure encourages the improvement of the recruitment process, physical fitness, pre-service and in-service training, supervisory training, and leadership development for State Sheriffs and Adult Corrections Officers.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 196 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

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

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair