Report Title:

COMSTAT; Law Enforcement Technology System

Description:

Appropriates funds to: establish COMSTAT, a technology system for more efficient and effective law enforcement as an HPD pilot program, including the acquisition of an electronic fingerprint imaging system; and enable HPD to develop a COMSTAT network statewide.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

399

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to the comstat program.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that police departments across the nation are always looking for effective ways to reduce crime, provide effective enforcement of laws and protect the public.

The legislature further finds that the New York police department has developed a program called COMSTAT, which stands for Computer Statistics. COMSTAT is an information system that: collects accurate, timely intelligence; analyzes the data; and formulates a process plan that involves four principles:

(1) Accurate, timely intelligence that is communicated to all;

(2) Rapid deployment that is coordinated and focused;

(3) Effective tactics; and

(4) Relentless follow-up and assessment.

COMSTAT is a successful program that has allowed police departments in New York City, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and other large cities to organize and to change their law enforcement philosophy, resulting in significant decreases in crime in those cities.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to:

(1) Enable the Honolulu police department to establish and implement a COMSTAT pilot law enforcement program to provide more effective law enforcement in the city and county of Honolulu, provided that the pilot program shall be operational in the city and county of Honolulu in fiscal year 2004-2005; and

(2) Enable the Honolulu police department, after the establishment of the initial COMSTAT pilot law enforcement program, to interface computer links with other county police departments in the State to develop a network for a statewide COMSTAT law enforcement program.

SECTION 2. Section 291D-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§291D-9[]] Monetary assessments. (a) A person found to have committed a traffic infraction shall be assessed a monetary assessment not to exceed the maximum fine specified in the statute defining the traffic infraction.

(b) Notwithstanding section 291C-161 or any other law to the contrary, the district court of each circuit shall prescribe a schedule of monetary assessments for all traffic infractions, and any additional assessments to be imposed pursuant to subsection (c). The particular assessment to be entered on the notice of traffic infraction pursuant to section 291D-5 shall correspond to the schedule prescribed by the district court. Except after proceedings conducted pursuant to section 291D-8 or a trial conducted pursuant to section 291D-13, monetary assessments assessed pursuant to this chapter shall not vary from the schedule prescribed by the district court having jurisdiction over the traffic infraction.

(c) In addition to any monetary assessment imposed for a traffic infraction, the court may impose additional assessments for:

(1) Failure to pay a monetary assessment by the scheduled date of payment; or

(2) The cost of service of a penal summons issued pursuant to this chapter.

(d) The court may grant to a person claiming inability to pay, an extension of the period in which the monetary assessment shall be paid or may impose community service in lieu thereof. If the assessment is not paid or the community service is not performed on or before the date established and the court has not extended the time, the court shall take action as provided in section 291D-10.

(e) Monetary assessments imposed and collected pursuant to this section may be distributed by the director of finance of the State to the general fund of the county in which the traffic infractions occurred; the director shall determine a distribution formula to implement this subsection, pursuant to chapter 91."

SECTION 3. The Honolulu police department shall upgrade its networking system to establish and implement a COMSTAT pilot law enforcement program that shall be operational in the city and county of Honolulu in fiscal year 2004-2005.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,900,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, as a grant-in-aid to the city and county of Honolulu for the establishment of COMSTAT, an effective technology system for more effective law enforcement in the city and county of Honolulu; provided that of the amount appropriated, $700,000 shall be expended to acquire an electronic fingerprint imaging system, a necessary component of establishing and implementing the COMSTAT pilot law enforcement program in the city and county of Honolulu.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the city and county of Honolulu for the purposes of this section.

SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,300,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005, as a grant-in-aid to the city and county of Honolulu to enable the Honolulu police department to interface computer links with other county police departments in the State to develop a network for a statewide COMSTAT law enforcement program.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the city and county of Honolulu for the purposes of this section.

SECTION 6. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun, before its effective date.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.

INTRODUCED BY:

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