SENATE COMMITTEE OKS PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR NOMINEE

HONOLULU (AP) -- Establishing better treatment programs for drug offenders
and restoring public confidence in the state Department of Public Safety
are among the goals of the agency's incoming director.

"In the past, issues have arisen about whether or not partisan politics is
able to affect decision making in state law enforcement," John F. Peyton
Jr. said on Wednesday after his nomination was confirmed unanimously by the
Senate Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee.

Peyton, who has an international judicial role that takes him to Bosnia,
said he wants to create a department in which the public has "complete
confidence that decisions are made based on the merit, and political
considerations are never part of the decision making."

Peyton also said he would work closely with Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona on
a new prison and treatment programs, particularly for drug offenders.

"We certainly do need new approaches to treating drug offenders," he said.

Peyton said he also backs the Lingle administration's proposal to split the
department into two agencies -- one for law enforcement, the other to
handle corrections.

A veteran federal prosecutor who spent more than 20 years of his career in
Honolulu, Peyton is vice president of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial
Councils of Bosnia-Herzogovina.

The councils are responsible for reform of the judicial and prosecutorial
services of the country.

Peyton's nomination now moves to the Senate floor for a confirmation vote
by the full chamber.