The Department of Public Safety is reporting that there is a disturbance, which their spokesperson is calling “unrest”, at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
The release from the DPS spokesperson says the unrest began at 3:45 p.m., involving inmates in the A-wing of the Wainuenue housing module. Inmates have set a fire and barricaded doors. Hawaii Fire Department is on the scene along with Hawaii Police and State Sheriffs who were called to assist. Emergency response teams made up of correctional officers, with the assistance of Hawaii Police and Sheriffs, are responding. It is an active situation.
Hawaii County Police have provided additional information. They released a statement saying they responded to a riot at HCCC at around 3:51 p.m. The release says:
“Sometime earlier there was an affray leading to rioting at the facility including the setting of fire to a housing unit. It has not yet been determined the cause of the brawl at the facility and it was not determined how much damage has been done. State Personnel are evacuating inmates from the facility so that an assessment can take place to determine the extent of the damage to the facility.
Police assisted State Corrections officers in establishing a perimeter around the facility shutting down Wainuenue Avenue and parts of Komohana Street, that still remain closed indefinitely while the state investigates the incident.
There were some reported injures to inmates from the affray, and corrections officers suffered smoke inhalation and respiratory issues from the incident. There are no major injuries being reported at this time.
Responding to the facility in addition to police were two Hawaii Fire Department station units, State Sheriffs and the State Corrections Officers.
The fire has been extinguished and the assessment process is being performed on the injured people before a facility check can take place.”
This situation occurred the same day that Gov. David Ige announced he has appointed a Special Master to investigate the Department of Public Safety. Director Nolan Espinda announced his retirement just over a week ago, and is on personal leave until September 15. Espinda underwent a grueling confirmation hearing before the State Senate in 2019. There have been complaints about how the DPS has been handling COVID-19 outbreaks, especially at O’ahu Community Correctional Center, and in late August, both the United Public Workers (UPW) and the Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA) called for Espinda’s removal based on the COVID-19 outbreaks without an appropriate response.
