The Kalaeloa Public Safety (KPS) group--committed to improving and maintaining the health and public safety of Kalaeloa--has made significant strides in dealing with unsafe environmental and illegal conditions in the area’s beaches and camping areas over the past several weeks.   In a coordinated effort with the City and County Department of Parks and Recreation, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), the U.S. Navy, the Hawaiian Humane Society, and the State Sheriff’s office, 95 citations for expired camping permits were issued along with 58 citations for illegal activities.  Sixteen warrants were served and five tons of trash and illegal structures were removed from Kalaeloa campgrounds and beach area.  Illegally parked vehicles were towed and stray animals were also removed from the area.  The State Department of Transportation (DOT) also recently installed new signage along Roosevelt Avenue and restriped the roadway.  The new speed limit and pedestrian signage helps night time vision in the area and improves public safety.

^{(Above, conditions before the revitalization measures.)}

^{(Above, conditions after the revitalization measures.)}

The Kalaeloa Public Safety group meets monthly in a continuing cooperative effort to address public safety issues in the District.  Serving on the KPS are representatives of City and County agencies (Departments of Design and Construction, Facility Maintenance, Parks and Recreation and Transportation Services), the State DOT, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Navy Region Hawaii/Security, Honolulu Police Department, United States Coast Guard, Hawaii Army National Guard, Federal Fire Department, and the Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA).  The KPS group’s planning and efforts over the past year has been in response to an increase in thefts along the beach areas, increased illegal structures, stray and/or unleashed animals, and unsafe conditions that plagued the City-licensed campgrounds in Kalaeloa.

In order to maintain current condition after the recent improvements, HPD has announced that its first and third watches will enforce the “no camping” days every Monday at 8:00 a.m. in addition to the regular patrol rotation.  HPD requested City Parks to bring in the equipment to recondition the sand, and the U.S. Navy security also mentioned the enforcement of open fires on the beach will help to minimize the charring.  Navy legal reported a 50 percent reduction in crime from August 6th to August 16th since the revitalization measures were conducted.