Ocean Safety lifeguards want their own department — and a voice on their new leader

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced in his State of the City Address in March that he wanted to create a new Department of Ocean Safety.

That proposal has gained support from Ocean Safety lifeguards.

But some lifeguards also told a City Council committee that they want a commission to pick the leader for a new department — and that’s something that has to go before voters.

“We’re on the cusp of history, making us a stand-alone department,” lifeguard Jesse King told the council’s Housing, Sustainability and Health Committee Wednesday.

“There’s no other ocean safety agency that’s not under a bigger department umbrella.”

The current Ocean Safety Division in the Emergency Services Department has 235 full-time lifeguards and a $23 million budget.

The lifeguards are stoked about having their own department, but many have reservations about a proposal to have the mayor appoint their leader.

“Resolution 24-103 will grant dictatorship-like powers with no transparency and accountability over to a director appointed by the mayor, who will remain loyal to that person or face being replaced,” said lifeguard Chris Kam.

“I think there’s an overwhelming amount of people that are against a mayor-appointed director,” said lifeguard Fred Booth. “I think that’s pretty clear.”

Those concerns come after current Ocean Safety Chief John Titchen was placed on unpaid administrative leave last month, pending an investigation.

The city administration hasn’t commented on why, saying it’s a personnel matter.

“We currently have a chief. We like our chief. We want him to stay. We want him to be our department head. So having a director — that creates an issue there,” said King.

“With the actions that have been happening recently, we honestly don’t feel like we can trust the mayor’s office,” said lifeguard Aka Tamashiro.

“We feel like it’s being forced. It doesn’t feel right.”

Instead, the lifeguards are supporting a proposal to create an Ocean Safety commission, which would be responsible for selecting a chief, similar to the police and fire commissions.

“With a commission, that offers more transparency, more accountability, versus having a director, mayor-appointed director,” said King.

“Without a commission, you know — he answers to the mayor.”

But a new Ocean Safety Commission would have to be approved by voters in November.

“I’m very confident that if the voters get the question on whether or not to form a commission, they will pass that,” said city Managing Director Mike Formby.

So far, the City Council has forwarded the various Ocean Safety Department proposals for further discussion. The final proposals will have to be completed by summer to get them on the November ballot.