Kauai Chief Perry Victim of Retaliation by Corrupt Mayor?

Dear Editor, February 2, 2012

Kauai Mayor Carvalho has a reputation of being bullish. His office is corrupt. Bernard Carvalho is well connected (enmeshed) with a number of local members of the community. The corruption is organized. I know first hand that Mayor Carvalho has gotten bullish with Chief Darryl Perry, as well--controlling what he can of this man and his post.

I am aware that--on a personal level--Mayor Bernard Carvalho does not care for Chief Darryl Perry, and, at times, Bernard has made Chief Perry's job difficult for him. For example, the mayor is refusing to allow the KPD a Public Information Officer. All press releases to any police matters come out of the mayor's office. This is unheard of. Mayor Carvalho will control what the media and public are informed.

Chief Perry is a constant source of irritation for a man like Bernard Carvalho. Chief Perry is ethical and collaborates with the FBI, Honolulu Unit. Carvalho is corrupt. Recently, one of Carvalho's top guys--Costello--was investigated by Honolulu FBI and dismissed from his position. There has been a recent change in command with the County of Kauai Police Commission. Soon following, Carvalho would meet with the newly appointed Chair and Vice-Chair (I believe both positions changed hands) in private to this matter of Chief Perry, and his two top ranking assistant chiefs, being placed on leave. This is a blatant violation of county charters by Carvalho.

When Vice-Chair Charles Iona was in position, no such thing happened over the stretch of 4 years. I believe the mayor may now have some of his people in place at the police commission, and he is using this power against the Chief of Police. This includes attempting to remove Chief Darryl Perry from office. At no time, in the passing 5 years in which Chief Perry has acted as police chief, has he been placed on a leave of absence. The timing is suspicious; the actions quite bold on Carvalho's part. I am convinced there is no foul play of the part of Chief Darryl Perry. I have come to know this officer well enough.

Aloha,

Deborah Morel

Kapaa, Kauai

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From: Deborah A. Morel

To: County of Kaua'i Police Commission

Friday, February 17, 2012

Dear Chair of the Police Commission and Commission members:

This email communication to the County of Kauai Police Commission comes on the heels of our island Police Chief Darryl Perry being removed from duty in a sweeping, unilateral move by Mayor Bernard Carvalho. I maintain this movement by Mayor Bernard Carvalho violates County Charter, overrides the duties of our island police commission, and has compromised our safety as citizens of Kaua'i. I have many concerns, as any number of community members express, as well. Today, I speak for myself.

Such a bold and unethical move by a mayor has stripped a police department of its "top brass." KPD Chief Perry has spent years--along side his officers--collaboratively building a sound police department. KPD stood, for the first time, at its strongest under the leadership of Chief Darryl Perry. This has been grossly compromised, and our public safety has been severely compromised, and at a time our community is under a spike of violent and weapons related crimes, as never before in the history of Kauai.

Finally, as a citizen I take exception to this movement by Mayor Bernard Carvalho. As a member of the community--as a community member--who at times has worked closely with KPD around matters of public safety--my doing what I can to help keep Kauai a safer place, I take additional exception to this inappropriate movement by the Mayor.

Due to a time limit, attached is a Letter to the Editor published by "The Garden Island news," to my concerns and appeal, and a letter published by "Hawaii Free Press."

I appeal and call to members of the County of Kauai Police Commission to return to duty our Chief of Police Darryl Perry, and as soon as possible. What is happening wrong and must be rectified immediately. I understand some of my words are strong. I believe strong words are necessary at this time, and I stand by my words.

I thank you in advance for your consideration.

Sincere regards,

Deborah A. Morel

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Sunday, February 19, 2012

Dear Mayor Carvalho,

I maintain that community safety is being compromised in your movement to remove from duty County of Kaua'i, Police Chief Darryl Perry, and the chief's two top senior officers--who work closely with Chief Darryl Perry. I will never believe there has been any misconduct of the part of Chief Darryl Perry; over the years, his actions indicate very much otherwise. I do not have a confidential relationship with KPD Chief Darry Perry; however, I have come to know this officer well enough to ever believe any foul play on his part. Over 4 years of communication with Chief Darryl Perry, this officer has proven--time and, again--reliably ethical, dependable and consistent. What has happened is wrong. No police department--anywhere, in any nation--can withstand such a disabling of a police department without adverse impact to the police department, officer moral, and public safety. Our community requires that our police chief is returned to duty so that public safety and this PD may be restored once, again.

Our island sits at a time in which crime is on a disconcerting rapid rise on Kauai; you make this unilateral decision to disable the island police department--violating County Charters and overriding the County of Kaua'i Police Commission. You refuse communication to the community and media. This is one more instance that is appearing to be no more than unethical Kaua'i politics practiced by the entitled, and at any cost. The cost may be loss of life.

In the short time frame of one week of your placing KPD Chief Darryl Perry, and his two assistant chiefs on leave, there has been another fatal police shooting. There has recently been an over three (3) hour standoff, following gun play and a KPD Officer's life threatened in this gun play.The fatal shooting is the second in less than three months' time. The previous fatal police shooting, prior to these "side-by-side" two shootings, was in 2005.

Just Friday, February 17, a KPD Officer traveling northbound on Kuhio Hwy was involved in a rear end collision. This type of such accident is unheard of with KPD. However, I maintain such an odd accident stands to reason--speculating that perhaps not only is KPD over stretched, but now dangerously compromised due to your single handed decision to place KPD Chief Darryl Perry on leave--a police chief who has proved the most ethical in the history of the Kaua'i Police Department; a police chief who has brought about the most unprecedented changes to this police department, and whose officers rely on this chief of police for leadership. I have been informed by more than one KPD Officer that you are not informing the officers to the status of their chief of police--as it was phrased, they are not being told anything.

Over the passing several months, there have been police responses to dangerous gun play and officers' lives being threatened; this is inordinate for Kaua'i. These KPD Officers require, and should expect, their chief of police kept safe from political maneuvers, overridden charters and a police commission that has been silenced by a mayor of a county. Police departments operate in especially structured and disciplined manners for reasons. None the least, such order keeps the department stable--all the while dangerous responses can prove anything but stable. A police department must withstand the possibility of an out right assault on the department and/or on a community.

Our community sits in a very vulnerable location--in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just east of several hostile nations such as Communist North Korea. Hawai'i is a gateway for international drug trafficking. Structure, order and discipline reinforce such assaults of compromise. In recent months, there have been a number of out of the ordinary dangerous responses required of our KPD Officers; you make an unethical unilateral decision to place KPD Chief Darryl Perry on leave, along with KPD's two assistant chiefs of police--with little explanation whatsoever to the public.

In a telephone call to your office on Friday, February 17, at approximately 10:30 am--my request to speak to you--a voice mail message would be returned by your Managing Director Mr. Gary Heu. Now, at least I am able to gain communication from your office as the Mayor; this has not always been the case--on the contrary. According to Mr. Heu's message, KPD Chief Perry may be held restrained on leave--refused ability to return to duty as our chief of police any where from 60-90 days, and without any further explanation whatsoever.

Mayor Carvalho, what may happen to our KPD and community in this long 60-90 day stretch of time to this unfair move that you place Chief Darryl Perry on unwarranted leave from duty as head of our police department--an officer who has over 30 years experience behind him, and has brought the Kaua'i Police Department to recovery, only for you to unilaterally take this from the chief of police and his officers. I only hope, only hope that there is no further blood shed under the circumstances in which you have placed KPD--this includes the loss of any innocent victims to crime or one of our KPD officers, as well.

Again, I appeal and call to you to return to duty Kaua'i Police Department Police Chief Darryl Perry.

Regards,

Deborah A. Morel