HPD OFFICERS ARRESTED IN LAS VEGAS

Two Police Veterans And A Social Worker Are Charged With Marijuana Possession

What happened in Vegas this weekend won't stay in Vegas for two
Honolulu police officers, and that worries some fellow officers.

Police employees who asked to remain anonymous said they are
concerned that their two colleagues, charged with various drug
offenses, might have tarnished the reputation of the whole
department, locally and nationally.

Officers Kevin Fujioka, 37, and Shayne Souza, 47, were arrested
Saturday night after leading authorities on a short chase near Desert
Breeze Park, about six miles west of the Las Vegas Strip, Clark
County spokeswoman Stacey Welling said.

Scott Wilson, a 38-year-old social worker from Honolulu, also was
arrested, Welling said yesterday.

Because of the serious charges, Honolulu police officials have
initiated their own investigation.

"If these allegations are true, these individuals should not be
police officers, and they should not be supported by their fellow
officers or their union," said Police Chief Boisse Correa. "The
police union has always said that it does not tolerate illegal drug
use by its members. I hope that the union leadership will stand by
its word in this case and do what is right for the community."

Tenari Maafala, president of the State of Hawaii Organization of
Police Officers, said, "These officers obviously made a bad mistake .
and nobody else is more remorseful and regretful for what they've done."

He was quick to defend the department.

"What these two officers have done is not a reflection of the entire
police family," said Maafala, referring to the department's estimated
2,300 officers. "One or two individuals do not make the department."

The two officers were off duty at the time and not traveling on
department business, but policy still prohibits illicit drug use. Any
officer who uses illegal drugs faces loss of police powers and
termination. According to department policy, all officers are randomly tested.

Clark County police approached the men because the white van they
were in was parked sideways across two spots in a parking lot,
Welling said. As officers approached, the van drove off.

After a short pursuit, Souza and Fujioka got out of the van and ran
from police, authorities said. Welling said officers pepper-sprayed
Souza when he resisted arrest.

All three men were charged with marijuana possession, she said.

Fujioka also was charged with driving under the influence of a
narcotic, and Souza was charged with drug paraphernalia possession,
resisting a police officer and obstruction of justice. Wilson was
charged with having an open alcohol container in a vehicle, Welling said.

Michelle Yu, spokeswoman for the Honolulu police, said Fujioka is a
patrol officer assigned to the Pearl City district who has worked at
the department 13 years, while Souza is a SWAT officer who has been
with the department 20 years.

Welling said the men identified themselves as police officers from Honolulu.

Tom Wagner, president of the Nevada Police Athletic Federation, said
the arrests happened during a men's softball tournament that was part
of the 2009 Nevada Police & Fire Games. The five-day event of various
sports and games involves about 2,000 police officers and
firefighters from across the country. Fujioka and Souza were
participants, Wagner said.

He said the arrests were "shocking" and that it is possible that the
players and their team would not be invited to return to the games.
"It's unfortunate, but we definitely are going to be speaking to that
coach and that police department and getting the story and deciding
what our action will be as a federation."