MCB HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii -- Good order and discipline aboard MCB Hawaii is everyone's responsibility, but when it comes to traffic regulations, many expect the Military Police Department to handle enforcement.
One of the tools base residents have to ensure everyone's safety is built into the base orders and involves nothing more than reporting an incident to MPD.
"We can't be everywhere at the same time, so we rely on the people who see something wrong to let us know," said Master Sgt. Gregory G. Mitchell, operations chief at the MPD. "The community is a vital part of the enforcement process."
While MPD and the Honolulu Police Department are the only ones authorized to issue traffic citations for moving violations aboard the base, anyone who observes an offense can contact the military police who will, in turn, issue a "third party ticket." By simply providing the time, date and location of the violation, along with the license number, make, model and color of the vehicle, the military police can issue a citation to the offender.
A sworn statement is required of anyone reporting a violation, and the reporting person may need to appear in traffic court if the ticket is contested, but the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience when considering the effect even one "third party ticket" has on the overall enforcement situation on base.
"Unfortunately, there are some people who are more likely to commit a violation when there are no military police in the area," Mitchell explained. "When we get help from the community, it does a lot to cut down on crime."
Once a report is made, military police follow up by contacting the offender and notifying that person's command. Then the ticket becomes like any other, and can be contested in traffic court.
Mitchell said the MCB Hawaii Military Police Department is considering an online reporting format because there is much better response to the program where reports may be submitted anonymously.
In addition to reporting speed limit violations and drivers who run red lights, the community can help enforce a variety of other base regulations.
"Loud music, loose animals, and abandoned vehicles are all issues where the community could help us enforce regulations," said Mitchell. "It's not that we can't drive around and handle things like that, it's just a matter of handling them sooner with the help of the base residents."
No matter if violations of the base regulations are done inadvertently or on purpose, the "third party ticket" program is one way the citizens can help enforce the rules and make the base a safer place to serve.