Honolulu City Council Policy Resolutions

(Link to original Word Processing Version)

94-23

GUIDELINES FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION SECTION OF THE HONOLULU POLICE DEPARTMENT REGARDING THE SOLICITATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS.

    WHEREAS, in September of 1992, the Honolulu Police Department established a nonprofit Forensic Science Fair in cooperation with the State Department of Education; and

    WHEREAS, the Scientific Investigation Section of the Honolulu Police Department organizes and maintains the Forensic Science Fair; and

    WHEREAS, the Forensic Science Fair is organized to provide for the advancement of forensic scientific inquiry by intermediate and high school students in the State of Hawaii; and

    WHEREAS, the Forensic Science Fair provides a unique opportunity for students to experience "hands-on" study under the tutelage of Honolulu Police Department Crime Laboratory Criminalists and Evidence Specialists; and

    WHEREAS, since the Forensic Science Fair is run entirely inhouse, the Scientific Investigation Section relies primarily upon the generous gifts and contributions from individuals and corporations to support the Forensic Science Fair; and

    WHEREAS, Resolution 86-298 provides guidelines regarding the solicitation and receipt of gifts by the City and its executive agencies and effectively prohibits members of the Honolulu Police Department and its Scientific Investigation Section from actively soliciting gifts and contributions from the community to support its educational programs; and

    WHEREAS, the intent of this Resolution is to set forth guidelines under which the Scientific Investigation Section may work with volunteer organizations which will solicit gifts and contributions to support the Section's Forensic Science Fair in particular and the Section's youth and community programs in general; and

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    WHEREAS, enabling the Scientific Investigation Section of the Honolulu Police Department to work with volunteer organizations is necessary for the continued success of its youth and community programs and has the salutary benefit of allowing the Section to establish direct community support and participation; and

    WHEREAS, the purpose and intent of this resolution are justified in light of the benefits to be received by our youth and our community and are in keeping with the requirements of Resolution 86-298 and the Ethics Commission's Guidelines on Gifts since neither the Honolulu Police Department nor its Scientific Investigation Section will actively solicit gifts and contributions from the community; now, therefore,

    BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City and County of Honolulu that consistent with the purposes of Resolution 86-298, the Council hereby sets forth specific guidelines for the Scientific Investigation Section of the Honolulu Police Department, as specified in this resolution, to work with volunteer organizations which will solicit gifts and contributions for the Division's youth and community programs:

        1.    That the Scientific Investigation Section of the Honolulu Police Department, shall be allowed to work with volunteer organizations which will solicit gifts and contributions from individuals, community organizations, and profit or nonprofit organizations for the sole purpose of supporting the youth and community programs in the manner set forth below;

        2.    That this Resolution shall satisfy the requirements of subparagraph 2a of Resolution 86-298 regarding prior Council approval before soliciting gifts and contributions and submitting public notice in a newspaper of general circulation; and

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council does hereby authorize the Scientific Investigation Section of the Honolulu Police Department to work with volunteer organizations which will solicit gifts and contributions for the Forensic Science Fair and other community programs subject to the Section's compliance with the following conditions:

    1.    Only the section commander of the Scientific Investigation Section and the respective supervising officers in charge of youth and community programs shall be allowed to present the program needs to the volunteer organization and only members of the volunteer organization shall be allowed to solicit gifts and contributions for the respective programs in the manner set forth below:

            a.    The section commander or supervising officer of the respective community program shall be allowed to meet directly with the coordinator or head of the volunteer organization and shall only present the nature and scope of the respective community program.

            b.    Only members of the volunteer organization shall contact potential donors to solicit gifts and contributions for the respective community program.

            c.    The section commander shall advise the voluntary organization in writing to primarily solicit goods and services for the youth and community programs; provided, however, should monetary gifts be received, the voluntary organization shall be requested to receive such monetary gifts in the form of bank checks made payable to the City Director of Finance and earmarked for the respective Section's youth or community program.

            d.    The section commander shall further inform the volunteer organization in writing that prospective donors with contracts or applications pending before the City shall not be solicited and that gifts and contributions from such donors be returned. In this regard, the volunteer organization shall be requested to maintain a record of all such gifts, contributions, and pledges received and to transmit such record to the section commander of the Scientific Investigation Section for examination.

            e.    The section commander shall ensure that the section commander's and/or supervising officer's normal work duties do not directly affect members of the volunteer organization and that members of the volunteer organization do not have any contracts or applications pending before the City.

            f.    The Scientific Investigation Section shall work with the Ethics Commission to develop additional written guidelines for approaching and presenting the youth and community program needs to the volunteer organization.

        2.    The Scientific Investigation Section shall be required to obtain the Council's approval of all gifts, pursuant to paragraph 3 or 4 of Resolution 86-298, whichever is applicable based on the value of the gift, and shall ensure that the gift or contribution is properly maintained, secured, and protected in such manner so as to enable the Section to return the proposed gift or contribution should the Council decide not to accept the gift;

        3.    Monetary gifts which are accepted by the Council shall be deposited into the General Trust Fund and be administered in accordance with Chapter 5, Article 7, of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu;

        4.    Nothing in this Resolution shall be deemed to exempt the Honolulu Police Department and its Scientific Investigation Section from any provision, requirement, guideline, or standard as may be established by the Managing Director or Ethics Commission for the conduct of City employees, including but not limited to, the standards of conduct to ensure that the receipt of any gift or contribution on behalf of the City shall not give the appearance of influencing or impairing the judgement of the Honolulu Police Department in the performance of its official duties;

        5.    These provisions shall apply except where more restrictive ordinances, rules or administrative policies are in effect; and

    BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Clerk be, and he is hereby directed to forward copies of this Resolution to the Chief of Police of the Honolulu Police Department, City and County of Honolulu.

                        INTRODUCED BY:

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                     Councilmembers

DATE OF INTRODUCTION:

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Honolulu, Hawaii


Policy Resolutions