Broken Trust:
And Don’t Forget the Obvious Symmetry:
White collar mafia vs blue collar mafia? Stay tuned ....
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Mayor appoints Steven Levinson to Police Commission
News Release from City and County of Honolulu October 18, 2016
Honolulu – Today, Mayor Kirk Caldwell appointed retired Hawai‘i Supreme Court Justice Steven Levinson to the Honolulu Police Commission. If confirmed by the Honolulu City Council, Levinson will serve through December 31, 2020.
“I am honored to be given the unexpected opportunity to serve on the Police Commission,” said Levinson. “As a practicing attorney for 17 years, a criminal trial judge for three years, and State Supreme Court Justice for 17 years, one of the primary focuses of my career has been the effective administration of law enforcement. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to make a difference by bringing these experiences and unique perspectives to the commission.”
During Justice Levinson’s tenure on the state Supreme Court, he authored 271 published opinions, of which 231 were published opinions of the court, including Baehr v. Lewin (1993), which was the first appellate decision in American history to hold that a state’s marriage laws were presumptively unconstitutional for discriminatorily prohibiting same-sex couples from marrying. He also authored numerous opinions addressing the lawful limits of governmental intrusion into the private affairs of individuals, the legitimacy of police interrogations and searches and seizures, as well as other related subjects. He was the Court’s liaison to the Hawai‘i State Bar Association and the Hawai‘i Justice Foundation, and served as chair and member of various commissions and task forces pertaining to the Hawai‘i Penal Code, the Code of Judicial Conduct, drug policy, and jury innovations.
If confirmed, Justice Levinson will replace Ron Taketa on the Police Commission. Taketa has served four non-consecutive terms on the commission, appointed in 1989, 1994, 2001, and 2011. Taketa remains on the commission until Levinson is confirmed by the City Council.
“I would like to thank Ron Taketa for his outstanding work as the chairman of the Police Commission during a very difficult time,” said Mayor Caldwell. “He provided calm and a sense of order when the popular opinion was to act otherwise. His leadership will be missed.”
“I am extremely happy with the nomination of Judge Levinson to the Police Commission,” added Taketa. “To have someone of his character and caliber step up to serve is a credit to the commission and the good work they do. I want to thank those who have served on the commission with me, all the men and women in Blue who keep us safe, and the public for the privilege of serving. It has been an honor."
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