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The Maui Police Commission is recommending that the County Charter be amended to increase the amount of law enforcement experience required to be police chief.
During its meeting by videoconference Wednesday, the commission voted unanimously to recommend that the police chief have at least 15 years of experience in law enforcement, including at least five years in an administrative capacity.
Commission members have said they are seeking, but not requiring, such experience in the upcoming search for a police chief to replace Chief Tivoli Faaumu, who retired last month.
Under the current Maui County Charter, the police chief must have at least five years of law enforcement experience, including at least three years in an administrative capacity.
Commissioners also voted Wednesday to support adding a provision to the charter section on the police chief.
The provision would say, "Gross or continuous maladministration shall be a cause sufficient for removal of the chief. Before removing the chief for such cause, the commission shall give the chief written notice of and a reasonable period to cure the gross or continuous maladministration. If the gross or continuous maladministration is not cured to the commission's satisfaction within the period given, the commission may proceed to remove the chief in accordance with subsection 2."
Subsection 2 says the chief may be removed by the commission "only after being informed in writing of the charges which are resulting in the chief's dismissal, and after being given a hearing before the commission."
Commission members voted to recommend the amendments to the Charter Commission after Police Commission Chairman Frank De Rego said he had planned to submit the proposed amendments as a private citizen.
"A lot of the work that the chief does is administrative and oftentimes there might be time to remedy that before you just bring charges," De Rego said. "This actually gives the chief, for whatever reason, a chance to have time to be able to remedy the situation.
"Then, if the commission is not satisfied, they can proceed to remove the chief."
De Rego said he would submit a third proposal on his own to the Charter Commission to require that the police chief have a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, police science, public administration, social science or related field. Commissioners have expressed differing opinions about such a requirement at previous meetings.
* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.