POLICE FLY NEW POT RAIDS WITH LAST YEAR'S MONEY

The Hawaii Police Department conducted two marijuana eradication
missions just before the end of the fiscal year June 30.

A memo dated July 8 from Police Chief Harry Kubojiri to County
Council Chairman J Yoshimoto said that "Counter Cannabis" field
operations were flown June 29 in East Hawaii and June 30 in West Hawaii.

Voters in November passed a law making adult personal use of
marijuana the lowest law enforcement priority, which said the council
"shall not support the acceptance of any funds for the marijuana
eradication program."

There is no money in the current fiscal year budget for marijuana
eradication. For the fiscal year that ended June 30, $370,000 was
earmarked for eradication plus a $159,000 statewide marijuana
eradication grant.

Assistant Police Chief Marshall Kanehailua said Friday the money for
the mission was from the latter grant.

"This was money that was there before," noted Lt. Richard Sherlock of
the Hilo Vice Section. "There is money for eradication."

According to police reports submitted to the council, 1,416 plants,
from seedlings to 9 feet in height, were uprooted in East Hawaii,
while 1,814 plants, 2 inches to 4 feet, were pulled up in West
Hawaii. East Hawaii plots were found in Ainaloa, Hawaiian Acres,
Hawaiian Paradise Park, Kapoho, Kurtistown, Mountain View and
Orchidland. West Hawaii plots were in Honomalino, Kaohe, Kapulena,
Kealia, Milolii and Puuanahulu.

The only removal that found fewer than 24 plants, the maximum number
allowed for "personal use" under the new law, was on public land in
Kapulena. The measure applies only to private property.

Sherlock said four helicopters were involved in the East Hawaii
mission -- two from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, one
National Guard helicopter and a private helicopter rented for about
four hours at a cost of $800 per hour. All 10 of the officers
involved in the rappelling and uprooting of the plants were local
police, Sherlock said.

No arrests were made, according Sherlock.

Lt. Miles Chong, who spearheaded the Kona operation, was unavailable
for comment.

Police say they fielded three complaints about the eradication
choppers from East Hawaii residents and four from the West side. One
Hawaiian Acres resident allegedly told Sherlock that he "came to
Hawaii to die and is aggravated by 'Green Harvest.'" Sherlock wrote
that the man told him he has medical marijuana and it was not
bothered. The report states that the man told Sherlock he has been
documenting the helicopters for seven years and has created a Web
site about it. The man reportedly told Sherlock he "does not trust cops."

Sherlock wrote that a woman told him that the "silver DEA chopper"
was "flying too low and spooking her animals" near Ihope Road in the
Mountain View area.

"She then related that she does not live there but has been taking
video of the helicopter and she works with Roger Christie and helped
to pass the 'lowest priority' ordinance." Sherlock's report noted
that Hilo Vice Detective Steven Correia called her back and the woman
said "she wished to 'withdraw the complaint.'" West Hawaii complaints
included one from an "obviously upset" woman who told police she fell
down after helicopters flew low over her property. The woman told
police she has high blood pressure and had to take medication to calm
herself before calling.

Adam Lehmann, director of the Peaceful Sky Alliance, which drafted
the lowest-law enforcement priority initiative, is pleased the
eradication statistics have been made public.

"The initial efforts shown by the chief and the department appear to
be sincere to the spirit of the ordinance," he said.

Sherlock said sufficient funds remain for at least one more
eradication mission in both East and West Hawaii.

"I can't say when they're going to happen, for obvious reasons," he said.