KPD SEEKING "ICE" HOUSE DETECTION TRAINING

Mayor Bryan Baptiste's war on drugs got a boost with action by the full
Council on Thursday in approving a state-administered grant to shut down
crystal methamphetamine ("ice") laboratories should they surface on Kaua'i.

At its meeting at the historic County Building, the council gave approval to
the Kaua'i Police Department's request to obtain and seek a $35,625 Byrne
Grant.

The grant would be used for the training of a "clandestine laboratory
response team," hiring of two more officers, purchase of equipment and for
programs to educate the public about dangers of the drug, Kaua'i Police
Chief George Freitas Jr. told the council.

At the meeting, Freitas was accompanied by Detective Sgt. Michael Gordon, a
vice and narcotics unit member and team leader for a "clandestine response"
division of the police department.

The two new officers, if hired, would augment six other officers who are
trained in the investigation of clandestine drug laboratories, the police
officials reported.

Freitas said the department received information that ice laboratories may
be operating on Kaua'i, but has yet to confirm their existence.

Gordon said he has heard of rumors of ice being cooked in garages of homes
on the island, but "we haven't found this situation yet."

Freitas said department wants to be ready for the day the laboratories set
up for operations, hence the need for the grant and more training for
officers.

Freitas said laboratories, when they set up, will be located in remote spots
of the island.

However, a trained team is already in place to respond when such
laboratories are discovered, Freitas said.

"We have a group of officers to enter laboratories to stabilize situations
and collect evidence and minimize hazards to them," the police chief said.

The grant funds would help assemble a complement of officers to shut down
laboratories when they surface, Freitas said.

Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura said she supports efforts to fight drug use and
applauded the police department for being "pre-emptive" in seeking
additional funds to fight drug use.

The grant funds would be used to send officers to training on O'ahu and the
mainland, Gordon said.

The ice that is found on Kaua'i is imported, "not the making of it here,"
Freitas said.

Since that is the case, efforts perhaps should be directed as well to
stopping the importation of ice to Kaua'i, Yukimura said.

Some of the ice that has made it to Kaua'i has been processed further,
Freitas said.

Councilman Mel Rapozo, a retired police officer and detective, said that
"ice is a huge problem," on Kaua'i and that "everyday I speak to someone
about it."

Rapozo made a commitment to halt drug use and the spread of drugs during his
successful bid for the council last year. He said an aggressive education
program has to be launched to inform the public and parents about ice.

Rapozo said many parents don't now what "it smells like" or "looks like,"
and that they should be made aware of the drug's characteristics so they can
caution their children against using the drug.

The council almost didn't take up the matter on ice houses and police
anti-drug programs during the open meeting and had considered taking up the
matter in an executive session.

Council members were concerned the discussions might touch on sensitive
information that could compromise police operations.

"I just don't want to do anything to weaken the war on drugs,"

said Yukimura, echoing the sentiments of other council members.

First deputy county attorney Amy Esaki said discussion of sensitive matters
could be an issue, but Freitas said he didn't mind talking about his
department's efforts to fight drug use as long as discussions on "specific
tactics" didn't come up.

Yukimura said that it seemed to her that the grant would be a crucial asset
in the county's war against drugs.

Freitas cautioned, however, that only smaller government grants may be
available in the future as federal funds are being diverted for the war on
global terrorism.