Two Hawaii State Hospital patients recaptured by police yesterday after separate escapes have touched off renewed concerns about security at the hospital for people with mental health problems.

Residents who live near the Kaneohe hospital, next to Windward Community College, now feel "very unsafe," said state Sen. Jill Tokuda, who represents the area. "That hospital also was never meant to house forensic patients committed there by the courts," said Tokuda (D, Kaneohe-Kailua).

Dr. William Sheehan, the state Health Department’s acting chief for the Mental Health Division, said staff will re-evaluate policies and procedures — as is the case whenever there’s an escape.

Pomale Falaniko was arrested at the Institute for Human Services on Sumner Street at 4:35 a.m. yesterday. He had walked away from a supervised visit to Windward Mall at about 1:45 p.m. Monday.

Police said Falaniko is considered dangerous. Court records show he was indicted in 1996 for terroristic threatening and assault. Court records also indicate sex assault charges.

This is the third time Falaniko has walked away from custody.

Police recaptured Alfred Paul Godfrey at Bethel and Merchant streets downtown at 5:32 a.m. yesterday.

On Aug. 17, Godfrey disappeared after attending a meeting at the River of Life Church on Pauahi Street along with other patients and a representative of the Hawaii State Hospital.

Police said Godfrey was instructed to stay at the site but couldn’t be found when the meeting ended about 5:30 p.m.

The Legislature passed a bill last session calling for deputy sheriffs to be assigned to the hospital and for security at the hospital be reviewed in the wake of budget cuts.

But the bill was vetoed by Gov. Linda Lingle, who said guards at Kaneohe would need specialized training.

In a conference committee report on the bill, lawmakers noted that there has been an average of six escapes a year and numerous assaults on staff at the hospital.

Sheehan said the number of "elopements" have decreased from 10 years ago. In 2000 and 2001, there were 25 and 28 escapes, respectively, the Health Department said. The three so far this year include Godfrey and Falaniko.

The hospital previously employed security officers from the Department of Public Safety, but they were eliminated in favor of private security due to budget cuts more than a year ago. The security officers were not sheriffs and were not armed, and neither are the private security guards now employed.

Hospital staff deal with patients, Sheehan said, and only those with low or no risks are allowed out on supervised trips.

"I’m chagrined when this happens, too," Sheehan said about the escapes. "Our goal is to have zero elopements in the facility."

On the other hand, that needs to be balanced with the fact that "everybody in the hospital is mandated to get a chance to live in the community again," he said. "That’s the idea behind recovery and treatment."