The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday had yet to contact Honolulu police about “dozens of death threats by fax, telephone, social media” that its executive officer said were directed at the warning officer who triggered a bogus missile alert Saturday — inaction that further angered some state lawmakers.
“Obviously, it looks like someone has dropped the ball again,” said state Sen. Will Espero (D, Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point).
On Monday, Toby Clairmont, executive officer of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that “dozens” of death threats had been directed at the unnamed, 10-year veteran warning officer and his family.
But on Tuesday — four days after the false alert triggered widespread panic — the agency’s spokesman, Richard Rapoza, said, “As of right now we have not made any formal police reports.”
Asked why, Rapoza said, “I don’t know, but as of right now we have not. We’re coming off the end of a long weekend. This is being handled in the midst of everything else.”
Rapoza said the agency’s chief of operations, Victor Gustafson, is preparing to contact the Honolulu Police Department.
In a Monday night press conference carried live across the islands, Gov. David Ige referred to the threats in his remarks and said, “Death threats are completely unacceptable and not how we do things here.”
Reached Tuesday, Clairmont said he was taking the day off and had no comment.
“I’m not going to make any more statements,” Clairmont said. “I would rather not talk about it. I’m not even answering my emails. You haven’t been in the hot seat. You haven’t dealt with the employees’ anger and frustration.”
Clairmont had initially been in charge of the agency’s internal investigation of the bogus alert until Ige on Monday night said the internal investigation will be handled by retired Brig. Gen. Bruce Oliveira.
Late in the day Tuesday, Rapoza issued a statement that read:
“The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency has received threats of physical harm, directed at its employees. While we take any threat to our workers seriously, we have also sought to avoid escalating the situation. We are in the process of collecting and cataloguing the threats, and will present them to the Honolulu Police Department shortly for formal action.
“Saturday’s false alarm encouraged many people to examine some aspects of their lives and values. We can all hope that those who feel that the best use of their time after such an event is to threaten the lives of others will reconsider their priorities.”
Hawaii law includes several provisions — from harassment to misdemeanor and felony terroristic threatening — that could conceivably cover death threats.
Threats made against a “public servant” could also elevate misdemeanor, second-degree terroristic threatening to felony, first-degree terroristic threatening — punishable by up to five years in prison.
The failure to promptly report the death threats to police upset several lawmakers Tuesday who are already angry over the chaos and panic that were unleashed by the false alarm.
“What? You’ve got to be kidding me!” said state Rep. Matt LoPresti (D, Ewa Villages-Ocean Pointe-Ewa Beach). “It makes me really question the leadership in new and profound ways over there. This is most upsetting. I’m beside myself. So, not only do they not take steps proactively and in a timely fashion to protect the people of Hawaii, but they also do not take steps in a proactive and timely way to defend and protect their own employees.”
On Friday, LoPresti said an intern in his office was assaulted on her way back from lunch in Chinatown by a homeless woman who slapped the intern on the side of the head.
LoPresti said he immediately excused himself from a Finance Committee hearing.
“I dropped everything,” LoPresti said. “We made sure to contact sheriff’s deputies and file a report. We all made sure she was OK. I told her she could take the day off. I personally got her an ice pack and put it on her ear. That’s what it looks like when you take care of your staff. I wouldn’t eat a meal before I took care of it.”
Espero said, “Oh, my! Well, if no one has filed any reports with the police, that shows that some of the thought processes over there are lacking. One would expect that in order to protect your employees, you need to have law enforcement investigating these calls. With technology today, that shouldn’t be a difficult thing to do. … I’m very surprised to hear that law enforcement has not been called in to investigate to try and track down these phone calls.”
Espero added, “It makes you wonder whether anyone over there is really taking it seriously — the threats, that is. If something threatens your employee or your family or your friends, there has to be an appropriate response, and silence is the wrong response.”
