Pubdate: Thu, 26 Dec 2002 Source: West Hawaii Today (HI) Copyright: 2002 West Hawaii Today Contact: http://westhawaiitoday.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/644 Author: Lisa Vail Note: For more on drug problems in Hawaii go to http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Hawaii POLICE AND COUNTY PRIORITIES ALL WRONG Editor: Last Saturday morning I was headed north into Kailua for Christmas shopping and come upon one of the many recent seat belt checkpoints. It happened to be right in the midst of one of the worst traffic bottlenecks between Captain Cook and Kainaliu. One officer was positioned on the makai side as the spotter and three other officers had the entire road tied up with at least eight cars 'semi' - pulled over. I was then approached by an officer who proceeded to inform me that I did not have my seatbelt fastened "correctly" and that it was illegal in Hawaii to wear the shoulder portion under my arm. I was also enlightened to the fact that "I may as well not wear a seatbelt at all if I wore it incorrectly." I was then gallantly informed that I would be "cut one break this time" and directed to pull back out into the traffic. More easily said than done as the number of "offending vehicles" were hemmed in double along the crowded roadside. During the rest of my trip town ward I passed three additional checkpoints manned with no less than three officers each. I am appalled at this use of our already "stretched thin" police force. I do understand that there is a quota of tickets issued monthly for revenue, and also of the dual role of checkpoints to weed out those with no insurance, illegal tags, and driving under the influence - but - this was early on a Saturday morning. How many drunks and drug addicts are even awake at this time? I live in South Kona where it seems as though every third home is an "ice house" and crackheads abound. I work in a public school where the number of children placed in foster care due to parental drug abuse is phenomenal. Drug dealing, drug and child abuse, violence and burglary are rampant on this island, especially in South Kona. And yet the choice has been made to utilize our police force in this inane manner. I don't know about you folks, but I feel it is a personal choice on how safe to keep myself in a motor vehicle; however, I have no choice when the crackheads are threatening my home and family. This seems to be where I am dependent on police protection. Officers, please use your time and energy to keep us all safe by getting some of these dangerous drug addicts off the streets and out of my backyard! Let me worry about my car's restraints. Lisa Vail Honauanau - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk