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Prosecuting Attorney Kimura to retire April 1

MEDIA RELEASE

Prosecuting Attorney Jay T Kimura formally announces his retirement from the County of Hawaii on April 1, 2011 after 31 years of public service.

Kimura started his legal career as a deputy prosecuting attorney in 1979. After serving as the Career Criminal Unit supervisor and First Deputy, he was elected as Prosecutor in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008.

He was born in Lihue, Kauai in March 1951 and attended Kauai High School. In 1968 he joined the United States Army with the 14th All Hawaii Team and completed basic training at Fort Ord California, AIT at Fort Rucker Alabama. He received his GED and served with the 115 Transportation Battalion of the First Cavalry Division in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971.

Kimura graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in liberal studies and pre-law in 1976 and a Juris Doctorate degree from the California Western School of Law in 1979. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Hawaii State Bar Association, Hawaii County and West Hawaii bar associations, and is an officer with the Hawaii Prosecuting Attorney’s Association.

He is the current chair of the Juvenile Justice Interagency Committee and a Governor’s appointee to the Juvenile Justice State Advisory Committee. He also serves on other legal committees and various community groups.

Kimura played a part in various law enforcement and prevention strategies to address crime issues facing the Big Island. These include a number of Federal, State and County initiatives to address Domestic Violence, Drug Abuse, Gun Violence, Juvenile Crime, Community Oriented Prosecution, Traffic Safety, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Elder Abuse, Victim Services, Community Capacity Building, Drug Courts, and the Pahoa Weed and Seed site, among others.

Kimura has encouraged Big Island communities to mobilize to solve crime, health and safety issues at many levels, including the County’s Meth Initiative, Drug Courts, Domestic Violence Interagency committees, Neighborhood Watches, treatment programs, Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, underage drinking programs, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, Children’s Justice Centers, mediation services, mental health diversion services, Youth Builders and a Weed and Seed site in Pahoa.

These programs serve as examples of how communities have come together to clearly identify problems, identify possible solutions and build community support in implementing changes with limited resources.

Article 9 of the Hawaii County Charter provides that First Deputy Charlene lboshi will assume the role of Prosecuting Attorney for the County of Hawaii until the first Monday in December 2012.

Kimura is confident that the ongoing dedication of a committed and professional staff under the leadership of First Deputy Charlene Iboshi will continue to provide excellent prosecution services and make the Big Island an even safer place to live.

Kimura takes this opportunity to thank the citizens of the County Of Hawaii for the privilege and honor of serving them as their Prosecuting Attorney. He is married to Louann Kimura, a teacher at Waiakea High School and has two children, Jeremy and Lindsey.

Kimura plans to reside on the Big Island and will be a licensed attorney.

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