It was a joy to read that the Maui County Council, despite hard economic times, approved about $72,000 for the purchase of two Harley Davidson Electra Glide motorcycles for the police solo bike unit.

According to The Maui News April 6, “In the first two months of the year, police traffic officers issued nearly 2,000 citations, including 420 for speeding, 12 for excessive speeding, 258 for seat belt violations and 242 for using a cellphone other mobile electronic device while driving.”

Approving the purchase of two new motorcycles is an excellent way of recognizing, commending and congratulating the officers of the police solo bike unit for doing an outstanding job of keeping Maui’s streets and highways safer for all of us.

I also want to recognize and commend the dedicated officers of the Maui Police Department’s DUI Task Force. They, too, have been doing an outstanding job throughout the year in carrying out and enforcing the DUI laws against those irresponsible, reckless, drunk drivers. I only wish our courts would take DUI convictions more seriously and punish violators by ordering more jail time for second-, third- and fourth-time offenders. There is obviously no excuse for repeat DUI offenders.

My one complaint regarding these two subjects: Since the County of Maui pays for the cost of operating our Police Department, it is totally unfair that all the fines generated by the hard work of our dedicated police officers end up in the state’s general fund. Maui legislators, the law needs to be changed.

William T. Kinaka

Wailuku