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Honolulu police host Waikīkī public safety seminars

Hawaiʻi Public Radio
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Hawaiʻi Public Radio

Waikīkī resident Yvonne Longley said her neighborhood has changed these past 10 years.

“It has changed a lot," she said Tuesday. "There's a lot more, as I said, a lot more strange people walking around."

Longley attended the Honolulu Police Department’s District 6 Community Policing Team’s active threat preparedness seminar on Tuesday. Having gone to the presentation last month on what to expect when filing a police report, she said she's feeling more confident.

“It helps you feel a bit better about living in the community that if there is something going on, you know who to call, what to do, and things like that,” she said following the talk.

HPD Officer Ryan Yamamoto led Tuesday's seminar. He said the average police response is about three minutes, but in the Waikīkī District, it’s a little less.

“The idea though is to prepare you guys for that three minutes,” he said.

Yamamoto said these public safety seminars offer insight and preparation into potential real-life situations. The talks combine community engagement and proactivity.

When you’re in a threatening circumstance, he said you may not be thinking clearly or know what to expect. One tip he had: learn to control your breathing.

“Breathe in slow, four seconds in, four seconds out, very deep breaths, this allows you to lower your heart rate so you can start thinking clearer, and you'll be able to focus more and decide what you're going to do,” he said.

District 6 will have another active threat preparedness talk July 28 at 5 p.m. at the Waikīkī Community Center.

Upcoming lesson plans include trauma preparedness: like how to use a tourniquet or assisting somebody after a fall.

Sabrina Bodon was Hawaiʻi Public Radio's government reporter.
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