Honolulu police issued more than 5,000 warnings in connection with coronavirus emergency orders
Honolulu Police Department Deputy Chief John McCarthy said police have issued more than 5,000 warnings and arrested 26 for violating state and county stay-at-home orders.
“As of today we’ve decided to move forward with full-enforcement rather than warnings,” McCarthy said during Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s news conference this afternoon on the city’s response to the coronavirus.
He said domestic violence cases have not been rising as some media have reported. Over the past two weeks, police have had 33 cases each week of domestic violence. Police are responding to more domestic arguments, but not cases of domestic violence.
“Those numbers remain flat for us,” he said.
In addition, Honolulu police announced today a new program to help identify any homeless who are symptomatic and give them treatment rather than allowing them to roam throughout the community.
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The project, called Provisional Outdoor Screening Triage facility, will be a project at Keehi Lagoon Park with restrooms and tents, allowing the homeless to exercise social distancing in a controlled environment.
Honolulu police Capt. Mike Lambert said the hope is the people participating in the program will remain self-quarantined for 15 days.
He said the hope is to identify any homeless who are symptomatic and give them treatment rather than allowing them to roam the community.
The news conference continues below:
Additional information from the news conference:
>> Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced an upper arm bone fragment, about three inches in length with breaks in it, was found Monday at the site of a field construction near Sherwood Forest. He said work in the area was stopped in about a 100-foot area around the area while an investigation takes place regarding the possible iwi. Work will continue in other areas of the project in Waimanalo.
>> 59 Honolulu police officers have been tested for COVID-19 and 3 have tested positive
>> Police are not stopping people for having two or three people in a car, but for people violating the state of emergency, such as non-essential businesses or gatherings of 10 or more.
>> Caldwell urged more testing for the virus and said there will be a free testing site at Waianae Small Boat Harbor from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday.
