Honolulu Police Commission gives Chief Susan Ballard high marks but chides her on budget

The Honolulu Police Commission gave some high marks to Police Chief Susan Ballard in its 2019 performance evaluation released Wednesday in the areas of leadership, management, and communication and community relations.

“Chief Ballard is a respected and effective leader, inside and outside the Department,” the Commission said in written comments, praising her honesty, can-do and transparent leadership style, hard work and “unimpeachable integrity for greatly enhancing public trust.”

In those categories with the high marks, she was evaluated as “exceeding expectations,” but received a grading of “meeting expectations,” when it came to budget and fiscal matters, training and development and her dealings with the commission. She received no “below expectations” marks.

“The Commission has few tools to oversee the department so questioning is to be expected and encouraged,” it wrote. “The Chief would benefit from considering strategies designed to maximize direct and forthcoming responses to inquiries in areas she would rather avoid discussing.”

Recently resigned commissioners former chairwoman Loretta Sheehan and former vice chairman Steven Levinson, who were instrumental in Ballard’s selection as chief in October 2017, were not present at Wednesday’s meeting, but had a say in the evaluation up until their resignations, said current Chairwoman Shannon Alivado.

Sheehan, who resigned Monday, said the commission is very focused on supporting the chief, and not balanced with its watchdog role.

Sheehan was ex-chief Louis Kealoha’s foremost critic on the commission and the only one to vote against allowing him to retire with a $250,000 settlement. He was convicted of obstruction, conspiracy, identity theft and bank fraud.

The commission found Ballard met expectations but criticized her in the budget and fiscal area.

Notably, the Honolulu Police Department is the only city department with its own separate budget and fiscal department.

“Commissioners would like to be more informed of HPD’s budgetary issues,” it wrote. She needs to communicate with them regarding “budget-to-actual expenditures as the review of the budget by the Commission is a Charter-mandated responsibility.”

“She has, at times, pushed the fiscal envelope,” the commission wrote and emphasized the need for HPD to follow Budget and Fiscal Services guidelines.

The four remaining members of the seven- member body can function since a quorum requires four. Commissioner Karen Chang resigned before Rick Blangiardi announced in February that he is running for Honolulu mayor.

Sheehan and Levinson have criticized the commission on its lack of openness in the disciplinary process for police officers.

Levinson said that the commission is an advisory board, and though it investigates complaints from the public and makes recommendations to the chief, she does not have to accept or follow its recommendations.

Alivado said the commission is “guided by the City Charter with respect to our parameters, what facts come to our attention and what actions we can take,”and it would take a charter amendment to “get more teeth” to be able to do more.

The meeting was live-streamed via YouTube. Live testimony by phone was an option with 24 hours advance notice.

Technical issues and Beretania Street traffic noise made it difficult to hear participants.

The commission was initially unable to find the means to stream the meetings for the public to view remotely, and held two meetings without opportunity for the public to participate or view live. The TV screening at police headquarters was then used as a way to view it live. The governor had permitted boards and commissions to suspend the Sunshine Law, which requires open meetings.

Alivado said there was no discussion of any objection to Sheehan and Levinson speaking openly with the media and no policy was set. But commissioners agreed media inquiries should go to the chairwoman and she should act as spokeswoman, but “not dismissing any individual commissioner’s ability to answer in their individual capacity.”