With questions arising recently about enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions across the City and County of Honolulu, SHOPO and Mayor Kirk Caldwell say that HPD is going to enforce as many of the mandates as possible.
Tuesday Mayor Caldwell praised HPD and Chief Susan Ballard for what he calls stepping up to enforce emergency orders.
“We’re doing the best we can with the demands placed on the Honolulu Police Department,” Mayor Caldwell said.
HPD has been using ATVs to enforce gathering restrictions on beaches, stopping a large gathering at Waimea Bay last Saturday. Staffing issues have forced HPD to take some of those patrols onto other assignments. “If we had our team of ATV’s they probably could handle the Waikiki Beach side, where the beat men wouldn’t have to address anything on the beach, but right now because we’re so short we’re supplementing the watch with all of these support units,” SHOPO President Malcolm Lutu said.