Mixed reaction from Maui residents over police chief stripped of police powers

WAILUKU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Some Maui residents are still stunned over Maui Police Chief John Pelletier being stripped of his police powers and Pelletier blaming Mayor Richard Bissen for it.

Read more Woman dies after vehicle falls from parking garage in downtown Honolulu

Pelletier turned in his firearms, badge and building access keys to his deputy chief after landing on Maui on Wednesday, following an appearance at an FBI conference in New Jersey.

More than 48 hours later, the commission’s decision is still sending shockwaves throughout the community.

Decision follows commander’s arrest

The police commission’s move to place Pelletier on leave comes more than two months after the arrest of MPD commander Michael Vaituulala.

The Criminal Intelligence Unit, led by Vaituulala, has since been dissolved.

The police lieutenant was also at the home of Maoli singer Glenn Awong the night illegal fireworks exploded into the Galloway ohana’s home.

The Galloways asked commissioners at Wednesday’s meeting to take action.

“My family is now included on page 28 of 31 of his federal criminal complaint,” Lisa Galloway said. “It’s now nine months later and nothing has happened because of the relationship between the chief and the lieutenant.”

“Chief Peltier was lambasting us because social media and neighbor security and phone videos to identify the party goers and identify who was lighting the illegal fireworks was used,” said her husband Dennis Galloway, “That’s not acceptable.”

After the Galloways’ testimony, Deputy Chief Wade Maeda apologized to them.

“First off, I want to apologize to the Galloways,” Maeda said. “You guys truly are the victims, and I do feel sorry for you guys, and I want to be transparent and honestly, we’re not covering up anything.”

Read more Hawaii basketball begins new era in Mountain West

Commissioners went into executive session and came out into open session to vote unanimously to place Pelletier on leave over his oversight of the Criminal Intelligence Unit.

Questions over mayor’s influence

Some in the community believe commissioners were influenced by Mayor Bissen.

“When you look at the police commission, I think we do need to look into who the members are and how they got there,” said Chuck Spence, a concerned community member. “I know for a fact that the INB, the Independent Nominations Board, was not independent. A lot of them were cronies of Mayor Bissen.”

Camron Hurt, state director of Common Cause Hawaii, has been a critic of Pelletier in the past but said he is a bigger advocate for truth, transparency and due process.

“We have been calling for the mayors not to have as much power as they have over commissions,” Hurt said. “We have begged and pleaded for that power to be ceded to the city council, which will provide more of a representative voice of the entire community than a mayor.”

Hurt said the timing of Pelletier being stripped of his police powers is suspicious.

“This is really weird,” Hurt said. “I would also point to everybody that this is happening right before an election. Just saying.”

Read more Kauai’s Hawaiian salt makers seek help restoring harvest area