Crime down in Waikiki, police tell safety summit

Nov. 18—Crime in Waikiki is down in every category but theft so far this year as hotels, businesses, police, social service providers and government partner to ensure a mix of enforcement and programs help to ensure public safety.

Crime in Waikiki is down in every category but theft so far this year as hotels, businesses, police, social service providers and government partner to ensure a mix of enforcement and programs help to ensure public safety.

That data was shared at Thursday's Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association's annual Visitor Public Safety Summit, which began in 1997 in response to a violent spate of purse snatchings that alarmed Japanese visitors and prompted a warning from Japan's consul general about waving off tourism to Waikiki.

"(The summit ) was a very positive step because it helped reinforce to the (Japanese ) consul general that we want the Japanese visitors to come here and be safe, " said Mufi Hannemann, president and CEO of the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association. "We've done a terrific job on ensuring that everybody knows when you come to Hawaii, given what happened during the pandemic, that we take health very seriously. We can't let our guard down on the crime issue and public safety."

Police are projecting, based on offenses documented through Thursday, that the total number of burglaries, car break-ins, catalytic converter thefts and assaults in Waikiki for the year will be below last year's totals, according to a presentation from Honolulu police Maj. Randall Platt, who oversees police patrol District 6. The district is the smallest on the island but responsible for maintaining order in the heart of Honolulu's visitor hub. The area is about 1.5 square miles bordered by the Ala Wai Canal and Diamond Head to the ocean.

Thefts so far this year have already surpassed 2021's total with 1, 644 through Thursday, compared with 1, 620 in 2021. Police project the Waikiki area will record 1, 865 thefts this year. The increase is not unexpected with the lifting of pandemic restrictions on travel and movement, said Platt.

"As we exit the pandemic, our visitor counts increase, and therefore more people are available, more opportunities to steal stuff. The more people you have, the more people are going to have stuff available to steal. Theft is primarily a crime of opportunity. They are hunting for stuff that is left unattended. The vast majority of these thefts are (misdemeanors ). Beach theft, pool decks and a lot from shoplifting. It's almost getting worse. Every day we get called, and just about every day we go and arrest somebody, " said Platt. "A certain percentage of the population believes they can just walk in and take things out of the store without paying like it was their home refrigerator. Not so."

There were 235 burglaries in Honolulu police patrol District 6 during 2021, compared with 158 through Thursday, and police forecast the district will finish with about 174 burglaries.

Car break-ins have fallen to 314 from 390 and are projected to total 349 by year's end. Twenty-two catalytic converter thefts from vehicles have been documented this year, compared with 133 in 2021, with the total for 2022 projected to be about 23. Robberies have fallen to 65 from 76, and police expect to see 71 total this year.

Misdemeanor and felony assaults are slightly off 2021's pace with 426 though Thursday, compared with 487 in 2021, and police expect 486 will be the final total.

PLATT ALSO provided an update on the city's "Safe and Sound Waikiki " program, a collaborative initiative launched Sept. 6 by Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Hono ­lulu police Chief Arthur "Joe " Logan and Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm to combat persistent crime and help homeless people connect with services.

The multiagency effort is based on the "Weed and Seed " program, the fundamentals of which Alm promised to bring to Waikiki.

The program got started with $250, 000 from city coffers and $90, 000 from the Paul Kosasa Foundation.

The boundaries for Safe and Sound Waikiki extend a little farther than police patrol District 6 and run from the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor along the coast to Diamond Head Road and connecting with Ala Wai Boulevard. It also includes Diamond Head State Monument, the Honolulu Zoo and Kapiolani Park.

A STEERING committee led by Jennifer Nakayama, the Waikiki Business Improvement District Association's president and executive director, is hiring a site coordinator who will bring together various law enforcement agencies, the Judiciary, the community and social serv ­ice providers like Waikiki Health, the Health &Harm Reduction Center, Adult Friends for Youth, and the Institute for Human Services.

"A Marshall Plan may be too big a word, but we need hundreds of more beds for people with mental health and drug and alcohol problems, " said Alm, speaking at the summit. "Just with the chronically homeless, we could fill those in a week. We'll all be making a push for that to happen."

Offenders caught within the boundaries are being held on high bail—$1, 000 for misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor offenses—and are not immediately released. Some judges dealing with suspects are imposing jail sentences of three to 10 days to try and deter repeat offenders.

As of Nov. 9 police have made 258 arrests in connection with the program, the majority for petty misdemeanors like fourth-degree theft, disorderly conduct, harassment, second-degree trespassing and park rules violations.

Repeat offenders are a problem, with 21 people being arrested twice and five others three times.

"Prior to 'Safe and Sound' they would get booked, we would give them a court date and release them to appear. They would be ... out of the cellblock before the officer was even finished writing the report. Not anymore, and that's part of 'Safe and Sound.' There is a bit of a bite now, " said Platt. "Waikiki is definitely a safe place to live, work and play—I think more so than last year and more so than pre-pandemic years, " said Platt. "With the tools and things we have in place, (hopefully ) we can keep it that way."