[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6155993,"mediaKeyId","5471938-d0e71bd97c37e710ac0e64ff7f81838d","parentId",5471938,"title","Council committee forwards five nominees to inaugural Ocean Safety Commission","audioSeconds",2632,"startMs",346135,"endMs",2978865,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5471938-d0e71bd97c37e710ac0e64ff7f81838d&start=346&end=2978","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5471938-d0e71bd97c37e710ac0e64ff7f81838d/thumbnail_346135.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6155993/Honolulu-City/Honolulu-County/Hawaii/Council-committee-forwards-five-nominees-to-inaugural-Ocean-Safety-Commission","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155993-57c24506ea0baec4cdc8e6a0c79c64c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771130567&Signature=FRHC9cFuaEaFf1hM~bhUxRDTVqgptLZJ8DTGQFSrhOT2abZw4hZMq35bD3hKvWDeNVJ60Kv5IOzbnRzCXj7VpZOsu0hjKMPbwWCP4IIUdRNI6R~A1uvntheIObMeYpizYGxut7aX-FXG0LbTeQTinXaXdYoWUuyyx0db6oHO3J-zOI6aEfHbD3y1QH6uWFdUNW3U~aXaa-~ZvlZNfQbutSjXI8QraM5obCudR~w--aWEFQfhUgJMUJOiZhUezDyi6dRPJw9rkdPzxXqsycCuW54eI8bm4f0SnBgiXLZ-EO2CE~ZTH2vsRJtWZo08uQktV3SkX7fQ56sqoc3XwR7Oow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Honolulu, HI","date","2025-07-25T11:57:08.127Z","article","Five nominees to the new Ocean Safety Commission told the Honolulu City Council Committee on Public Safety and Economy on July 24 that their first-year priorities would be selecting and vetting a permanent chief, reviewing training and equipment needs, and evaluating manpower and budgets. The committee advanced the mayor’s nominations to full council with a recommendation for adoption.

The nominees — Raquel Achoo; Steven (Steve) Jenas; Richard Kebel; Kanani Auri; and William “Billy” Pratt — spoke to the committee about what they would prioritize on the inaugural commission, describing plans for community outreach, district-level engagement, and data-informed decisionmaking to guide recommendations to the chief and the council.

The commission is a volunteer, unpaid advisory body created to oversee and support the newly separated Ocean Safety Department. Nominees repeatedly said a top priority is creating a transparent process to identify a permanent chief to replace the interim chief, including using measurable performance criteria and community engagement in evaluations. Several nominees said they would review training, equipment and staffing needs and pursue partnerships and funding sources to support lifeguards and lifeguard stations.

“I think first off is really vetting and understanding the chief’s position and how they plan to implement that,” nominee Steve Jenas told the committee. “Another part would be to really take time and engage with each district.”

Nominee Kanani Auri said the commission should set clear guidelines for choosing chiefs and recommended a leader who pairs operational knowledge with compassion and strong communication skills. Nominee Richard Kebel emphasized data-driven decisions and use of measurable performance metrics. Billy Pratt highlighted process, protocol and budget review as critical tasks, and proposed expanding junior lifeguard and recruitment programs to build a pipeline of future officers.

Mayor Blangiardi addressed the committee during the hearing and said the administration received roughly 30–40 applications and interviewed about 14 people before forwarding five names. Several council members asked nominees how they would engage the public and the department, and whether the commission would hire outside consultants to run chief-search processes. Nominees said they preferred to use the commission’s experience but left open the option of a third-party recruitment firm if the commission determined it was needed and funding allowed it.

A public commenter, Tim Gary, urged the commission to prioritize lifeguard pay and to pursue private donations and partnerships to buy capital equipment such as trucks, jet skis and drones. Several nominees and council members also discussed the need to review the department’s budget and seek partnerships with state agencies and nonprofits.

The committee considered a hand-carried CD1 amendment to the resolution that corrected the mayor’s letter date and made technical edits. Chair Thoba recommended adoption of Resolution 25-179, as amended to CD1; there were no objections and the committee ordered the measure reported out for adoption to the full council.

The committee canceled a later informational briefing on the Honolulu Police Department School Traffic Monitors Program for time reasons and adjourned.

What’s next: The resolution confirming the five nominees will go to full council for final confirmation; nominees and council members said they expect the commission to meet and begin work on timelines, outreach plans and a chief-selection framework.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-07-24 Public Safety & Economy","oneSentenceSummary","Five nominees to the new Ocean Safety Commission told the Honolulu City Council Committee on Public Safety and Economy on July 24 that their first-year priorities would be selecting and vetting a permanent chief, reviewing training and equipment needs, and evaluating manpower and budgets.","taxTitle","Honolulu City, Honolulu County, Hawaii","taxId",61746,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6155983,"Council committee accepts $5,000 gift for Honolulu Fire Department accelerant‑detection K9",121,236944,358670,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5471938-d0e71bd97c37e710ac0e64ff7f81838d&start=236&end=358","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5471938-d0e71bd97c37e710ac0e64ff7f81838d/thumbnail_236944.jpg","/articles/6155983/Honolulu-City/Honolulu-County/Hawaii/Council-committee-accepts-5000-gift-for-Honolulu-Fire-Department-accelerantdetection-K9","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155983-a091e01d82494a7e20df116e6cc93313/orig.mp4?Expires=1771130567&Signature=n4lZhGCPGFV7H~ZPSH6y5WYeMiV5sec7yoDnxxBgs9BFvdAgbdweooxhjicppvBJJnU7IrJJjvvrW6KsWU52zZEn6wee9ZdqPhgiOymSMmJmPYSF7VZwUVtV174YBd5ilY4KqgUYY23qtRv0pRpLyYN1FZ1~kX6Xh-4QKWsdSrSZD8fdp2zY~VRKQ0S7QLJDlhiICrwo~jxTU~A1caDhpwcAUfhIye-Yw-CS5xp4zQ-jeIup7M6ohf56gX6-CGT8oHEGsc6RWKOEHkOi00T6t0VAWFTmStItdxH4WjJWTI8TF5QYZWwJsVkJhSNc~Wss-Yk9k9~k7b6D7e8P9AddGg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Public Safety and Economy accepted a $5,000 donation to the Honolulu Fire Department’s accelerant‑detection K9 team from Glenn and Sandra Moribe and ordered the resolution reported out for adoption on July 24.

Battalion Chief Pao Chi Huang (representing the Honolulu Fire Department) told the committee the K9 team consists of firefighter Micah Ancheta and the accelerant‑detection dog Eve. Huang said Eve and the handler were unable to attend the committee meeting because they were responding to a building fire and assisting with an investigation. The department said the Moribe gift will be used for Eve’s veterinary visits, food, training supplies and other needs.

Chair Thoba recommended the resolution be reported out for adoption; there were no objections and the committee ordered the measure reported out.

What’s next: The resolution will go to full council for formal adoption under the council’s consent procedures.","The committee approved a resolution accepting a $5,000 private gift from Glenn and Sandra Moribe to support the Honolulu Fire Department accelerant‑detection K9 team. HFD said the funds would cover veterinary care, food, training supplies and related needs for the K9 'Eve.'",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6155988,"Committee advances Bill 46 on police dispatch access after debate on privacy and public safety",4049,2979325,7028980,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5471938-d0e71bd97c37e710ac0e64ff7f81838d&start=2979&end=7028","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5471938-d0e71bd97c37e710ac0e64ff7f81838d/thumbnail_2979325.jpg","/articles/6155988/Honolulu-City/Honolulu-County/Hawaii/Committee-advances-Bill-46-on-police-dispatch-access-after-debate-on-privacy-and-public-safety","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155988-1c4ac2d8f5f499c5d383b10ee91a5dec/orig.mp4?Expires=1771130567&Signature=mpP1rtVrNgBawTnZIXCPtFd6dFdWSq5X0UmQEdyASJKOwLJN~qtv-sxgh8c9iysckhwo3stTQJCBNadfnoTWJHPmXdCwdi3nrOL4N~MItGZEnVMrcKCC7hM-iDsnMivgH-2RE~4C2f4vdt7tFo7q3RKCNext1MsOgIqsDeQ9uFQi~x07cVU2JahexUwIcPKqjv~3sUOtq-s~JLcoJkOyPGH7lLgG2spnJIBxOoou65LH9F5M3y80j5UsHUkbFhTWD69EiqreUJWqoE20HBLRt04S6MXnVAeA4M-xMtWTu7c7tj6z4IEacQyk9CsMDG4XpSwEb20oFG85OTmkbk~L3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Public Safety and Economy advanced Bill 46 on July 24, a measure that would require the Honolulu Police Department to provide certain public information to the media and public, after a contentious discussion about privacy, officer safety and timely public notification.

Acting representatives of the Honolulu Police Department told the committee they strongly oppose the bill as drafted. The department’s testimony said live dispatch audio routinely contains personally identifiable information and criminal justice data — including names, addresses and medical details — that federal and state rules and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) security policy specifically require agencies to protect. The department said releasing live radio communications could violate Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 138 and CJIS requirements and risk sanctions that would limit investigative tools.

“Releasing this information in real time would violate Hawaii revised statutes chapter 138, federal and state privacy laws on electronic communication, and the Criminal Justice Information Service or CJIS security policies,” the acting HPD representative said. The department described several alternatives already in development, including an expanded media team, a media alert system, a new media portal on HPD’s website with near‑real‑time calls-for-service data, and text-notification plans for credentialed outlets.

Media executives and broadcasters pressed for scanner or comparable access, saying the ability to receive real‑time dispatch information protects the public during fast-moving emergencies. Representatives from KHON, KITV, Hawaii News Now and the Hawaii Association of Broadcasters testified that losing analog scanner access after the city’s move to encrypted digital radios has reduced their ability to alert the public quickly during events such as wildfires, crashes and active incidents.

“We have nearly 40 years in local broadcasting, and I’ve seen firsthand how critical real-time information is during emergencies,” Chris Leonard of the Hawaii Association of Broadcasters told the committee. Broadcast leaders said stations have long self-regulated on privacy and urged a negotiated technical solution or credentialing process that preserves privacy while allowing timely alerts.

Committee members asked technical questions about interoperability with state and federal agencies, the CJIS rules, the department’s existing web-based calls-for-service feed (which HPD said carries a short delay now), and whether a written agreement between HPD and credentialed media outlets could address concerns. The acting police representative said the FBI’s CJIS policy defines who is eligible to access certain criminal justice information and that the media generally does not meet that “law enforcement nexus,” which would create legal impediments to providing live audio.

HPD said it would support the bill if the provision that requires written agreements granting media access to dispatch radio communications were removed; the department urged the committee to work with HPD on alternatives that provide timely, curated information without putting personal or investigative data at risk.

After discussion the chair recommended Bill 46 be reported out for second reading and scheduling of a public hearing so stakeholders can continue to negotiate technical and legal solutions. Council Member Okimoto registered a formal reservation on the report. The committee’s action sends the measure to the full council for further consideration and stakeholder engagement.

What’s next: Bill 46 will go to the full council for second reading and a public hearing; the committee requested additional legal and technical information — including clarifications about CJIS applicability and possible written protocols or delays for information release — for forthcoming debate.","The committee voted to send Bill 46 to the full council for second reading and a public hearing after a lengthy debate. Acting HPD leaders opposed providing live radio access, citing federal CJIS rules and privacy concerns; media organizations urged access or faster, formalized alternatives for real-time alerts.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council committee forwards five nominees to inaugural Ocean Safety Commission

Council committee accepts $5,000 gift for Honolulu Fire Department accelerant‑detection K9

Committee advances Bill 46 on police dispatch access after debate on privacy and public safety