After APEC Lull, Honolulu Police Back to Making Prostitution Arrests
11/18/2011
Sara Lin/Civil Beat
After a drought of prostitution arrests during APEC, Honolulu police seem to be back on the beat.
The Honolulu Police Department did not make a single prostitution-related arrest the week thousands of delegates and dignitaries were in town for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. That despite a forecasted influx of prostitutes to Waikiki for the events.
The summit started Nov. 8 and officially ended Sunday, Nov. 13. Police had last made a prostitution arrest on Nov. 2.
But as city operations returned to normal this week, officers also made two prostitution-related arrests Wednesday night.
Crime in general was down during APEC, according to Police Chief Louis Kealoha. He said there were zero arrests related to APEC, which he said was remarkable for an event this size. In fact, the arrest rate for the whole city was lower during the APEC week than the week before, he said.
It's not as if there weren't any prostitutes working the streets of Waikiki during APEC.
On the Friday night during APEC, Civil Beat visited "the track" on Kuhio Avenue where prostitutes are known to pick up customers. Around 10 p.m., there were at least five women who appeared to be prostitutes walking the streets wearing their signature lucite stilettos. Two cop cars parked outside the Waikiki Trade Center for most of the night paid them no heed.
An HPD spokeswoman had told Civil Beat: "There are periods of time when the officers are working on prostitution operations but not necessarily making arrests."
Wednesday night's arrests were both made at 1694 Kalakaua Avenue, a few blocks mauka of the Hawaii Convention Center, where most of the APEC events were held. Both arrests were females who listed Honolulu addresses.
Chong Cha Cho, 56, was arrested at 11:30 p.m. She was charged with prostitution and operating without a massage therapist license.
Oh Young Lim, 40, was arrested at 11:30 p.m. She was booked for the same two charges.
DISCUSSION: What do you think about the timing of prostitution arrests related to APEC?
