A system that aimed to provide access placards to West Maui residents was canceled just hours after rollout began, due to “overwhelming demand from non-essential individuals and non-Maui residents who have flooded the distribution areas,” the Maui Police Department said Monday morning.

MPD announced the program Sunday and had been planning to hand out placards for access to West Maui for people who could prove they were residents, resort workers, first responders, medical personnel and other essential staff. They planned to hand out the placards at Keopuolani and Napili parks.

“There was a very clear protocol for West Maui residents, for emergency officials and other reasons,” MPD Chief John Pelletier said during a news conference on Monday afternoon. “We didn’t get that that showed up. You know what we got? We got a whole bunch of people that are just real curious to get over there. They wrecked it for everybody else.”

Pelletier said the plan was to have people place the placards in their windows so officers could wave them through “and we would have no or limited or less congestion in travel areas cause you got already vetted.”

Pelletier and Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said the county would go back to the former system of letting West Maui residents access the west side through Kahakuloa and exit through Maalaea. Pre-approved first responders, medical, utility, county, supply/transport and volunteer personnel who are bringing supplies in to the west side may enter at Maalaea and exit the same way, according to a county update as of 10 p.m. Monday. Exit via Kahakuloa is closed.

Bissen said the system would remain in place until officials complete “Phase Zero,” which is a term that FEMA is using “to describe recovering of remains,” the mayor said. Once that phase is done, Lahaina residents will be allowed to return via Maalaea again.

“That is our plan. This is an evolving, fluid, dynamic situation, but I want to get that out to our public who are very interested in knowing when they can return,” Bissen said during the news conference.

* Managing Editor Colleen Uechi can be reached at cuechi@mauinews.com.