Yesterday, the Hawaiʻi County Department of Parks and Recreation, in coordination with the Hawaiʻi County Police Department, Office of Housing and Community Development, and other State agencies and non-government service providers, conducted a park rules enforcement effort at Honl’s Beach in Kailua-Kona.

The operation aimed to address safety concerns and guarantee compliance with Parks’ rules within the beach grounds, ensuring the park’s safety and functionality.

Over the last month, Honl’s Beach Park has been at the center of a number of safety complaints, with many beachgoers citing that they were harassed or attacked by illegal campers in the area.

Three individuals were impacted by the enforcement effort, with two refusing assistance and the other accepting housing opportunities. All vacated the vicinity without incident. To ensure the proper handling of all personal property, the County arranged for a secure storage facility. Personal belongings from three individuals were carefully stored and inventoried, allowing individuals to easily retrieve their belongings within a 30-day period.

Similarly to prior Parks’ enforcement operations, outreach specialists from the Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) had been actively engaging with individuals in the area prior to the enforcement effort to provide support and connect them with appropriate resources.

In a statement Mayor Roth said, “It is unacceptable for our residents and visitors to feel unsafe in our Parks. As leaders, we have the responsibility to ensure that our beautiful public spaces can be enjoyed by all without fear. We have committed to that and will continue to enforce rules whenever necessary to protect the safety and wellbeing of all our residents, not just a select few.”

Future enforcement efforts are planned to address various issues at parks around the island as part of ongoing initiatives to ensure safety, cleanliness, and functionality of public spaces.

 

HPD Photo