Thursday, March 1, 2012

Musings: Chief's Wife Appeals to Council

You certainly wouldn't know it from reading the account in The Garden Island, but the police chief's wife — a human resources professional — dropped a few bombshells at the County Council meeting last night.

For starters, Solette Perry revealed that the mayor had “a settlement discussion” with Chief Darryl Perry when the two met this past Monday night. But she was unable to provide details before County Attorney Al Castillo jumped in, for the third time, to advise Council Chairman Jay Furfaro to prevent her from discussing employment matters.

“I'm going to continue because Mr. Castillo is about to learn that we are not going to engage in a settlement that compromises the integrity and the honesty of the chief of police where he's asked to disregard open insubordination toward him from his two senior officers,” she said. “That's not something we can live with.”

Mrs. Perry, who said she came to testify because “the Kauai Police Department and the community of Kauai needs your help,” gave this account of events:

On Jan. 30, the chief was called into the mayor's office for what he thought would be a meeting on another issue. It was attended by the mayor, Managing Director Gary Heu and Deputy County Attorneys Justin Kollar and Marc Guyot. The chief was read a letter from the mayor that stated he had received a complaint from a employee alleging a hostile work environment at KPD, and the county had a duty to take such things seriously.

The Chief was told he was not under investigation, but at the end of the letter, it stated “that while this investigation against you is pending, we expect you to carry out your duties to the utmost of your abilities.”

Mrs. Perry said the chief tried to clarify whether he was under investigation or not, and was repeatedly assured he was not, “yet the last line in that letter was clear and unambiguous.” The chief also was told to put Assistant Chief Ale Quibilan on paid leave pending investigation, which he did.

Throughout that evening, the chief continued to feel uneasy about the lack of clarity regarding his own investigation, and felt “he was being subjected to a possible hostile work environment” where he was directed to to work and the complaintant was left at the workplace "and he was told to avoid her at any cost and not have direct contact with her."

Then Castillo jumped in to say her testimony was outside the the agenda, but Furfaro said she had the right to speak to the Executive Session that was posted on the agenda.

She continued:

"Throughout this period of time, which has been approximately one month now, the chief of police has been under constant, and I'll say this word, attack, from the office of the mayor and his administration. What was not truthful and not disclosed to the public, because it is personnel information, is that the mayor of the county of Kauai suspended the chief of police for seven days. You know, I don't see that language in our charter anywhere that ives the authority of the mayor to do that. In fact, I do see specific language which provides a hearing and written statement to the chief if there are any proceedings that are coming before him in front of the police commission.”

She then went on to report that when the chief returned to work, after the police commission had unanimously voted that he should be reinstated, he directed Acting Deputy Chief Mark Begley three times to give him his gun, badge, ID and keys to his office, but Begley refused “and demonstrated grave insubordination in accordance with the standards of conduct.”

Mrs. Perry said Begley stated he was acting under the direction of the mayor.

“Now I don't see that anywhere in the charter provisions that allows the mayor to withhold the office of the chief under whose appointment was the police commission and it is the police commission that should direct the police chief.”

Castillo again came up to advise Furfaro that “this is an employment matter and it shouldn't be aired in the public.” But Furfaro again said he would allow her to speak, but would not allow the Council to ask questions.

Mrs. Perry then went on to say that Acting Chief Mike Contrades had received direction from Heu not to provide the chief with his equipment “so he could effectively perform his duties.”

She briefly addressed the settlement meeting before Castillo jumped in again, then she finished up by saying the chief would not "engage in a settlement discussion" under the terms first proposed.

At this point, Furfaro said, “This role of this council is to be a body to hear from our citizens about items that we interact with the administration and so forth. The body doesn't have any authority at this particular time as it relates to certain commission that the police department is a part of.”

Mrs. Perry closed by saying, “And the reason why I am here is to demonstrate that that authority that is in question in executive session has been far exceeded within the constraints of the charter and I'm asking this body to ... seek an investigation, a full and fair investigation, on matters concerning the Kauai Police Department and I'm asking this body to consider that there be special counsel to assist the the Police Chief and Police Commission so that they can fully effectuate their authority under this charter that they've been prevented from over and over and over.”

In looking at the comments on The Garden Island's story, I can only wonder why the paper failed to provide any substance in its report so that readers could understand that there's a very good reason why Mrs. Perry, who has the human resources expertise that the county lacks, shouldn't “stay home and bake cookies.”

If you want to see and listen for yourself, just go to the the webcast site, click on video under the Feb. 29 meeting and fast forward to the 10:26:05 mark.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is like watching a car crash in slow motion. Furfaro was wrong to allow Mrs. Perry to testify. This opens up the county to even more litigation.

The situation is fluid. Chief Perry should stand down to allow the dust to settle. He should be cleared by the powers that be to minimize any litigation / cost to the county.

Anonymous said...

Bravo to Jay Furfaro ignoring Al Castillo, and allowing a concerned citizen to speak!

Anonymous said...

March 1, 2012 10:41 AM

I agree 100% Just because she is married to chief doesn't mean she loses her right to testify to council!

Just too bad most people will never know as it was at end of long council meeting and TGI blew coverage

Anonymous said...

Al Castillo, A#1 crony of Bernard, should be relieved of his duties due to incompetence and the poor advice he has given to Mayor and Council. I have more faith in a Human Resource person from the private sector than archaic county personnel and policies. This is reminiscent of the last two chiefs and the political fall-out they endured. This overstepping of Mayoral power goes back to Kusaka followed by her protoge Baptiste and now his crony Bernard.

Anonymous said...

Is it a rite of passage for our mayors... ?

Anonymous said...

To Anon 10:22
Why should the chief stand down? Why not the mayor stand down? Or better yet the county attorneys giving him crappy advice?

Anonymous said...

Where is the County's human resources department? Oh that's right we don't have one.

The employees of he county deserve so much more than a blouted incompentant lawyer who represents the administration, not the workers.

Impeach the mayor, elected someone who doesn't throw himself big extravagant parties that benefit no one but his friends and fellow GOBS.

Anonymous said...

If we have 100 citizens file complaints to the FBI, department of Justice, and the Attorneys General we could actually get rid of these toxic cancerous people.

We need to rid Kauai of these monsters.

Anonymous said...

The County has just now created positions for a HR department.

Don't bother to apply, positions will be filled by family, friends, and cronies of this admin.

Anonymous said...

The whole shabang should be fired and prosecuted.

Put all these fools in blk and wht stripes doing community service for a yr, to pay back the money the stole from kauais taxpayers.

Anonymous said...

Everyone has a right to testify.
And Chief Perry has no fences to mend with a criminal administrator. Nor anything to say to him except if given the pleasure, "you have the right to remain silent"...etc.
Though he's not one to gloat.
He was wronged as was the entire department and community members.
MANY people will join in suing for damages to ongoing investigations, and obstruction of justice here.
In a perfect world federal marshals would have cuffed Jr. at the plane ramp monday, and the office of the mayor shut and locked until the arrival of the County Manager and staff. After emergency voting.
No commissions, no consultants, and a swift conviction w/retribution.
People were harmed and people died.

Anonymous said...

I'm gonna run for Mayor and put everyone on Lingles Superferry which will have a one way only trip to visit the Titanic.
The guy with Napoleons complex told me to do so.

Anonymous said...

Both are Narcissists so its not like it was a small step forward towards better leadership.

Anonymous said...

If we had 100 concerned citizens we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place.

Don't waste your time- nobody here cares; just as long as they get a piece of the action.

Anonymous said...

All these people have dirt on them and bones in their closets, RICO charges on all of them..

Anonymous said...

Help

Anonymous said...

With all the chest pounding "mea culpa" Christians fighting in the mix....do they ask themselves,

"What Would Jesus Do?"

If more Hawaiian
well, then....how about "Hooponopono"?

Can we all be saved from "lawyers and litigation"?

Where is the Aloha Spirit buried?

Dr Shibai

Anonymous said...

When this boils down, its probably not much more than a routine employment dispute that got mishandled by a deputy county attorney.

Anonymous said...

How many women sit on each board?

How many women supervisors?

How many women have been promoted in the past 5 years? How many men?

Where, in this county, is the equality we deserve?

Show us we are wrong about you Bernard. Show us that you Respect women.

Otherwise, we will be voting you out of office in TWO years.

Get it?

Anonymous said...

"routine employment dispute that got mishandled by a deputy county attorney."

Then Marc Guyot should stand down not the chief.

Anonymous said...

As a human resources expert she should have weighed in on her husband's handling of the sexual harassment complaint. She has more expertise in that area than the mayor's authority under the charter.

Anonymous said...

Also, at the 10:27 mark she mentions that she was "with Gary Rodrigues" at UPW, and we all know what a stand up guy he is (now doing time in a federal prison after years of ripping off his union members and treating UPW's coffers as his personal piggy bank). The Garden Island showed a picture of her conversing with Shaylene and Jake and Shay is sitting in back of her during her testimony. What does it all mean? Well, Gary and Shay are birds of a feather, bullies who misuse the resources that they are entrusted with. Hope she and the Chief are not like the company she keeps.

Anonymous said...

Carvalho is a power hungry scumbag. Thinks he's King of Kauai.