Maui Police Department officers were disciplined with suspensions ranging from one to 10 days in nine cases investigated last year, police reported.
The actions were taken for offenses including harassing a supervisor, violating terms of a no-contact order and unauthorized use of a controlled substance.
In addition to being suspended, two officers were demoted for six months - one for transporting a private citizen without authority and engaging in inappropriate behavior, and another for failing to investigate an alleged criminal offense by a subordinate officer, both in November 2007.
The number of Police Department suspensions and terminations in 2008 decreased from the two firings and 14 suspensions imposed as disciplinary actions the year before, according to police.
A summary of the incidents resulting in suspensions or firings of police officers is included in the department's annual reports submitted to the Legislature.
Last year, 10-day suspensions were imposed in four cases, including the one in which an officer transported a private citizen without authority. In another case, an officer was suspended for 10 days, demoted for 90 days and ordered to be evaluated for fitness for duty for being insubordinate and harassing a supervisor in October 2007.
An officer was suspended for 10 days and removed from special assignment for unauthorized use of a controlled substance from 2005 to 2007. Another officer was suspended for 10 days for violating terms of a no-contact order in March 2008.
The officer who failed to properly investigate a subordinate for an alleged criminal offense was suspended for five days.
For failing to properly keep and safeguard an assigned firearm in March 2007, an officer was suspended for two days and removed from special assignment.
Three officers received one-day suspensions. One failed to complete an internal investigation of a subordinate in a timely manner in January 2007. Another officer, who also was denied extension of his assignment, failed to take appropriate action on a complaint in October 2007. In the third case, an officer also was removed from special assignment for using a department computer for inappropriate reasons in September 2007.
In 2007, the department reported firing one officer for malicious, harassing and derogatory conduct toward an arrested person in October 2006 and another officer for performing personal services while on duty and without authorization in November 2006.
The names of the officers were not made public.
